CHARLOTTE, N.C. — North Carolina is one of the fastest-growing states in the country, but Charlotte city leaders say it may not have enough construction workers to keep up with demand.

The Associated Builders and Contractors Carolinas reports that contractors in the United States need almost 350,000 new construction workers in 2026, a crunch that the Carolinas are feeling more than most.

What You Need To Know

The construction industry needs almost 350,000 new workers in 2026  

Charlotte has nearly $20 billion worth of construction projects in the future but not enough skilled workers 

The city of Charlotte is using funding to help local businesses step into commercial and public projects 

City leaders in Charlotte say the city has nearly $20 billion worth of construction projects on the horizon, but not enough qualified workers to build them.

Local businesses like AEGJ Construction are now stepping in to help fill the gap.

AEGJ Construction is a general contracting firm that specializes in residential, commercial and subcontracting projects. Founded by Ada Esther Gil Jimenez, the small business had a slow start.

“I got my license when I was 17. That's almost 20 years ago, and I don't remember seeing a woman in construction. I think that that's one of the reasons why I didn't pursue it as much as I could have, just because I was afraid,” Jimenez said.

For years, Jimenez mostly stayed out of big commercial and public projects until she decided she wanted to expand her businesses’ capabilities.

“I wanted to venture out into the commercial space, and I started about two and a half years ago going into trainings and events and networking. With the knowledge that I was able to gain, I started to do pre-qualifications. I started to get all of my paperwork ready, and I was able to bid on some projects, and here is the outcome,” said Jimenez.

AEGJ Construction is now contracted at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, contributing to waterproofing, painting and labor staffing.

As Jimenez steps into bigger projects, she says finding qualified workers is a big hurdle.

“What I have realized is that whenever people come to us for staffing, it’s because they need people with legal papers, legal documentations in order to go and work at some of these places and those are very hard to find. The rate of someone with legal papers to be able to work on some of these projects has doubled or close to tripled in price,” said Jimenez.

With approximately 25% of Charlotte’s current construction workforce nearing retirement, city leaders say there are not enough workers from local companies to meet demand over the next 30 years.

“There’s an estimated need for rail transit construction, which is at two-to-four times the local capacity, and transportation is two times the need for the local capacity as well,” Malcolm Graham said, council member with the city of Charlotte. “And then with the local business market, there has to be intentionality on focusing on construction laborers.”

To combat the shortage and meet demand, Charlotte is now investing up to $2.1 million in workforce and small business programs to help companies like AEGJ Construction expand into city projects.

“We realized that there has to be stronger coordination and intentionality between CBI procurement, workforce development, economic development and some of our goals with small business readiness initiatives to equip small businesses to foster equitable economic development and to strengthen Charlotte’s local economy,” Graham said.

Jimenez said mentors, networking events and city programs have helped her expand into the commercial space and urges small businesses to do their research before taking on big projects.

“We need to make sure that we understand what it is that we’re walking into. This is not just a regular project. There are a lot of extra costs, and if we’re not careful, we can go bankrupt,” Jimenez said.

According to ABC Carolinas, 40% of counties across the state are facing the same shortage, with some areas bringing in out-of-state crews to finish basic road and school projects.

Additionally, safety concerns have grown with the worker shortage. Incidents at construction sites across North Carolina reported to regulators rose 8% in 2024. That's a trend ABC Carolinas says correlates with workforce inexperience.

The city of Charlotte’s economic development office has created resources to help small businesses navigate the bidding process.

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