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Wisconsin ranked No. 1 nationwide for construction

In Business Madison
By In Business Madison
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Wisconsin is the No. 1 state for construction, according to Associated Builders and Contractors’ 10th annual Merit Shop Scorecard. The scorecard, released annually since 2015, ranks all 50 states and the District of Columbia based on policies and programs that better career pathways in construction, further workforce development, and strengthen fair and open competition on taxpayer-funded construction projects. 

Wisconsin has been a high-performing state year after year but takes the top spot for: 

  • The highest scores on fair and open competition policies prohibiting government-mandated project labor agreements, ensuring market-driven wages on public works jobs, and protecting workers with its right-to-work law;

  • A sustained level of positive job growth in construction, with a five-year job growth rate of 4.4%;

  • A continued commitment to quality career and technical education, delivering a 97.4% graduation rate for students in career technical education programs and a 91.4% rate of postsecondary CTE students placed in careers and/or apprenticeship programs; and

  • A workforce development pipeline that delivers a construction labor supply over 100% of demand amidst a severe nationwide construction labor shortage.

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