Business is booming in the world of architecture, engineering and construction. As the population of Arkansas, especially in the northwest part of the state, continues to grow, so does the need for new builds in many sectors.
Well-known names in the business are all at work on many projects, spanning every sector from health care and education to roadwork and more.
However, there are also challenges that have come along with the projects. Many of the issues are not new, but industry leaders are still working to make changes in their fields.
“Finding qualified and experienced people in our industry is hard,” said Steven Head, principal geotechnical department head at McClelland Consulting Engineers in Little Rock.
Many workers in the field are reaching retirement age, but their spots are not being filled by new employees, causing issues for construction companies.
“We’re having to turn down work because we do not have enough people actively working with us, or I can’t find qualified people to do the job,” said Chris Meyer, president and CEO at James A. Rogers Excavating in Little Rock.
Russ Fason, CEO at WER Architects in Little Rock, said the firm is working to introduce young people to the field of architecture because they are not very aware of it, and it is something they should consider “because it’s a fun career path.”
Russ Fason
The same goes for the field of construction, which Trent Rogers, vice president at C.R. Crawford Construction in Fayetteville, said there are misconceptions about.
“A lot of time, construction is seen as just building, but there is so much more,” he said. “It’s a lot more than just sticks and bricks.”
Trent Rogers
One way the companies are trying to recruit new talent is by offering internship programs and creating partnerships with local trade programs at both the high school and college levels. Meyer said his company is seeing the most success currently by teaming up with second-chance programs, which he said attract driven people who are eager to learn.
Head said while there may be more graduates in related construction and engineering fields soon, he expects the demand of work to also rise.
Steven Head
“Things shift over time,” he said. “It’s cyclical. We’re certainly in an employee-driven market. I expect that to continue, so we need to watch for how we can get and retain the best folks.”
Rogers said his firm focuses on a good office culture in hopes people will want to join the team and continue to work there.
One way the companies are shifting to doing more work with fewer people is by leveraging new technologies.
“We started integrating things like that into our budgeting and to improve efficiency and communication,” Rogers said. “It’s definitely something that you want to stay ahead of. I think that’s not going away.”
Fason said WER has not changed anything drastically with technology, but he knows that the programs it uses for design are working to integrate artificial intelligence into the newest updates. He said clients have also started coming in more often with AI-generated pictures of ideas they have for a building’s look.
James A. Rogers is updating its project management software, as well as using drones, Meyer said.
Chris Meyer
“We’re in the process of figuring out AI and what that’s going to do for us in the long run,” he added.
Another issue those in construction fields are paying attention to is the continued rising cost of materials, as well as ongoing supply chain issues. That is causing clients to be more hesitant about starting projects.
“We’re seeing slowdowns in some sectors,” Fason said.
“The workload is still there, but clients are taking a little longer to plan and think through it and look at financials,” Rogers said. “There is a delay in work more so than there is just a stoppage of work.”
Head said inflation has been an issue, but luckily, local clients are still keeping them busy.
“Thankfully, we’ve been in the area, in the state, for a long, long time, and we have a lot of really good partners, whether that be other design firms or contractors, and a lot of folks we can rely on to be alongside us,” Head said.
The looming threat of tariffs is something the industry is watching closely, as well, yet the locals said they have not seen a direct impact yet.
“We have not seen a lot in the way of tariffs affecting our work at this time,” Head said. “I think, like a lot of things, that’s still yet to be determined.”
“There has been some fear of tariffs that has made their way into estimates, but in terms of actual projects, we have not seen major increases from tariffs,” Fason said.
Many building companies are working to become more “full service,” adding design or other sister companies to them.
James A. Rogers Excavating recently acquired McHenry Companies in Hot Springs and has expanded to include quarry operations. C.R. Crawford Construction’s sister companies include a concrete company, an industrial design company and an electrical company. McClelland is also a full-service company, Head said.
That integration makes things easier for customers, who only have to go to one company for all their building needs, and it speeds up the process, saving clients time and money.
While the industry braces and prepares for the future, the firms also have to remain flexible in anticipation of the unknown.
“You can’t really forecast too far into the future,” Fason said.
As the industry works to stay one step ahead as much as possible, Head said he does not see lasting change on the horizon.
“A lot of the challenges that we have today will be ones we have in the future,” he said.
