KEY POINTS
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The 2025 AGC/NCCER survey found 92% of US construction firms face worker shortages. Leaders urge workforce development, education funding, and new pathways to address labor gaps.
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Replacement demand drives thousands of annual openings for estimators, while training the next generation is vital for sustaining skilled construction estimator talent.
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Scholarship programs for construction estimators reduce barriers, attract students, and strengthen the estimator pipeline, which is critical to delivering accurate budgets and schedules on US construction projects.
The 2025 workforce survey by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) and NCCER revealed that 92% of US construction firms are struggling to hire qualified workers. In response, industry leaders are calling for expanded workforce development initiatives, greater investment in career education, and policy innovations such as new visa pathways to help ease critical labor shortages.
At the same time, organizations like AGC and the American Society of Professional Estimators (ASPE) offer scholarship programs to attract more students into estimating careers.
These programs help ensure contractors have the skilled talent needed to deliver the nation’s slate of construction projects, from infrastructure and energy to data center and manufacturing megaprojects.
Ongoing Demand for Estimators
Even though overall employment for estimators is projected to remain relatively flat, replacement demand, from retirements and career shifts, still generates thousands of openings each year. Job postings consistently show up in employment website listings, highlighting ongoing demand for estimating professionals.
This dynamic makes scholarships and training programs offered by AGC and ASPE especially important. They help new entrants access the profession and ensure that contractors have the skilled cost forecasters needed to keep complex projects profitable and on schedule.
Scholarships and Pathways
The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) and the American Society of Professional Estimators (ASPE) are two providers of scholarships for students pursuing construction estimating.
These awards help reduce financial barriers, draw students into the profession, and strengthen the pipeline of skilled estimators essential to delivering accurate construction data.
Closing the Gap
Industry leaders continue to call for broader workforce development, stronger career education funding, and immigration reforms to address immediate labor shortages. At the same time, scholarship initiatives from AGC and ASPE are helping to draw new talent into estimating, a role vital for accurate project delivery.
Together, these efforts aim to ensure contractors can access the skilled workforce needed to keep pace with the nation’s construction projects.
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Visit the American Society of Professional Estimators website for more information on its scholarship opportunities.
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Information on scholarship opportunities of the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) can be found on its website.
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