Workforce Development Study – Maui Wildfires, Hawai΄i, DR-4724
Client: U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration
As the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers neared completion of toxic debris removal in Lahaina—following the devastating Maui wildfires of August 8, 2023—NOVACES Certified Economic Developers (CEcDs) and construction project management experts conducted a forward-looking assessment of the island’s rebuilding needs focused on the anticipated surge in construction activity across residential housing, utility infrastructure, and transportation systems. A critical insight emerged: a severe shortage of skilled construction labor. This shortage represents a significant bottleneck in the island’s logistics and supply chain, with the potential to delay essential rebuilding and recovery efforts.
As part of the Economic Development Administration’s Economic Recovery Support Function (ERSF), NOVACES identified key components that could be integrated into a county-wide construction management logistics strategy. A key focus of this analysis was evaluating Maui’s capacity to attract and retain construction workers across all skill levels—an essential factor in meeting the region’s projected surge in rebuilding demand.
The Challenge
Nine months after the August 8, 2023, Maui wildfires, the U.S. construction industry remained constrained by a nationwide labor shortage. Rebuilding nearly 1,900 homes and over 200 commercial buildings would be challenging anywhere—but Maui’s geographic and infrastructure limitations added further complexity.
With the island’s only commercial seaport located on the opposite side of the island from Lahaina, and just one major highway available for transporting materials and equipment, logistical challenges posed serious obstacles. As the cleanup phase neared completion, these infrastructure limitations emerged as critical factors in the planning and efficiency of the recovery process.
Much of Maui’s skilled residential and low-complexity commercial construction workforce originates from neighboring Hawaiian Islands, other U.S. states, and other countries. With some of the highest housing prices and overall cost of living in the country, Maui County faces an uphill battle to recruit enough candidates from the Pacific region to meet its current and future needs for workers in construction and other industries.
Solutions Delivered
The NOVACES Program and Construction Management team held six detailed progress meetings throughout the project’s duration with state, local, community, and federal stakeholders. During these exchanges, workforce experts shared their research and concerns about how the shortage of construction workers could slow down the recovery effort, as well as steps that could be taken to mitigate this risk.
The NOVACES Construction Workforce Assessment proposed four long-term strategies.
- Invest in regional and local area training: Develop a long-term approach to training and recruiting through viable conduits such as high schools, trade schools, union shops, and local and regional colleges specializing in construction disciplines
- Support certification and accreditation programs related to the construction industry
- Work with the private sector to develop and implement workforce recruiting priorities
- Establish regional mentor/protégé workforce training programs
By identifying workforce gaps and logistical challenges, NOVACES helped to lay the groundwork for a coordinated, efficient recovery capable of supporting long-term economic resilience.
Key Takeaways
The rebuilding of almost 2,000 homes in Lahaina, plus commercial structures and possible infrastructure projects, will require a substantial workforce increase for three to six years, depending on supply chain and logistics efficiencies. NOVACES subject matter experts provided data to inform deliberations, helping local stakeholders find common ground to begin discussing strategies.
Organic labor force hiring will not be sufficient to meet the construction rate and quantity. Therefore, other sources of labor may be required.
Maui, and the entire State, will need to do more to develop training programs that offer pathways for more current residents to engage in training, apprenticeship, and pre-apprenticeship programs that prepare them for good-paying jobs.
All Maui unions are part of O‘ahu’s unions. Under normal construction efforts, there would be a sufficient workforce to meet demand. However, significant construction underway in O‘ahu is affecting workforce availability in Maui.
Unions adopted a “wait and see” strategy, highlighting the fact that no single organization can make significant progress on this challenge alone. Progress will require local government leadership, investment and strong public-private partnerships that inform the development of programs to ensure that any effort meets specific, current, and future needs of local employers.