Since the mid-2000s, the construction industry in the United States has faced a significant shortage of skilled labor. During the Great Recession, the industry lost nearly 1 million workers and has since struggled to rebuild its workforce as demand has returned. There are roughly one million fewer workers in the construction trades than there were at the time of the last housing boom in 2007, which has contributed to project delays, rising costs, and other challenges. This labor shortage stems from two factors. The primary factor is the difficulty the industry has had attracting and retaining young people, women, and people of color. The second is a decline in new immigrant trades workers who have historically filled in labor gaps. To tackle these barriers, a number of initiatives have been implemented across the country to change perceptions about careers in construction, increase enrollment in construction-related education and training programs, and attract individuals who have been underrepresented in skilled trade occupations.

Microsoft isn’t done expanding its data center campus south of Atlanta — not even close. The Fortune 500 tech giant recently paid more than $56 million to add 161 acres to its land holdings in south Fulton and Fayette counties, according to county property deeds. Since February, Microsoft has scooped up nearly 320 acres across the city’s Southside, paying roughly $115 million in total for developable land to feed its insatiable need for more data center space.

Mayor Andre Dickens said the funding will go toward the creation and preservation of multifamily housing in the Southside, Westside and downtown areas of the city, providing homes for people below or at 30% of the Area Median Income (AMI).I.

As Construction Inclusion Week wraps, one CEO says some companies may overlook the importance of diversity, but the business case for it is compelling.

In an industry known for overcoming challenges, progress on inclusion doesn’t measure up, according to one construction CEO and author.