Simulators are attracting new workers to the construction industry
Companies looking to recruit construction workers for the gas industry may have a new tool in the form of construction simulators.
The tools, which are seen as a way to connect with younger generations who grew up on video games, mimic the operation of construction equipment with a more familiar interface for the digital generation.
According to an article in the New York Times, “Simulators are a popular genre in PC games, with titles like Construction Simulator, Farming Simulator and American Truck Simulator converting the tedium of a job into a form of entertainment. But using a mouse to navigate cannot truly replicate the physical demands of operating heavy machinery.”
Instead, construction companies are investing tens of thousands of dollars in sophisticated simulators that mimic as closely as possible the experience of riding in and operating heavy machinery in hopes of attracting more workers to meet the demands for more infrastructure.
U.S. natural gas production has seen tremendous growth due to the boom in shale resources. But getting to those resources and putting them to productive use requires more than simply pumping the gas out of the ground. That gas needs to travel to ports, refineries and end users. This means extensive infrastructure is needed to accommodate the boost in production.
Unfortunately, the demand for more infrastructure is occurring at the same time as unemployment rates are at historic lows, causing strains on labor capacity. The labor shortage has already affected the forecasted cost of planned projects and delayed or canceled others, such as Shell’s Louisiana gas-to-liquids plant.
At the same time, fewer members of younger generations are willing to pursue careers in construction and related industries. Millennials and Generation Z were largely raised in an environment in which pursuing higher education was advocated over pursuing skilled labor positions. And few have any experience operating heavy machinery.
“They know they move big things, but how it all works is a mystery,” Debbie Dickinson, CEO of Crane Industry Services, said in an article in the New York Times. “Until they sit down in the seat of a simulator and the lights start turning on.”