Fusion

A Growing Crisis in Construction

The Experience Gap

The construction industry is facing an experience shortage at every level—junior, mid, and senior. As the older generation retires, institutional and experiential knowledge is rapidly disappearing, while younger professionals with limited field experience step into senior roles.

The Crisis

  • 41% of the workforce will be over 65 and retired by 2030, draining the industry of seasoned leadership.
  • 77% of project owners report that PMs and supervisors are the hardest roles to fill, with engineers close behind at 74%.
  • 68% of management candidates lack the necessary industry skills to manage projects effectively.
  • 439,000 new workers will be needed in 2025, increasing to 499,000 by 2026 just to meet demand.

Without immediate action, the experience gap will cripple project execution and increase financial risk.

Risk management on construction site

Infrastructure Spending is Only Growing

But Who Will Build It


North America (and internationally) is experiencing a construction boom, with trillions set to be invested in infrastructure projects over the next decade. But a severe labor and skills shortage threatens to derail progress, leading to higher costs, slower timelines, and greater financial risk.

The Infrastructure Surge:

A sample of the Projected Spending Over the Next Decade

  • $14 Trillion: The global annual construction market, expected to grow to $23 trillion by 2032.
  • $2.6 Trillion: U.S. spending under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (roads, bridges, utilities, clean energy).
  • $1.2 Trillion: Canadian infrastructure spending projections, fueled by urban expansion and transit investments.
  • 6% Annual Growth: North America's construction industry continues to expand, but workforce supply isn’t keeping up.

The question isn’t whether projects will be funded—it’s whether they can be completed on time and on budget.

Toronto under Construction

The Costly Reality

  • Design & Planning Errors → Frequent rework and misalignment.
  • Workforce Deficits → Poor supervision leads to inefficiencies.
  • Schedule & Budget Overruns → Projects run 30-45% over budget.
  • Legal Disputes → Legal issues add 10-15% to project costs.
  • Lost Productivity → Construction professionals lose 14 hours per week to non-productive tasks.

Experienced leadership is crucial to ensure projects are executed efficiently and stay within budget. As spending surges and the skills gap widens, those without proper project expertise will inevitably face ballooning costs, delays, and a higher risk of failure.

The right experience isn’t just an advantage—it’s a necessity.

Fusion de-risks construction projects by ensuring that skilled professionals, structured processes, and BuildReady Certification safeguard execution—so projects don’t fail.

🔹 Structured Risk Management – Prevents cost overruns & delays.
🔹 Mentorship & Training Programs – Transfers knowledge to the next generation.
🔹 Field-First Oversight – Ensures real-world expertise leads every project.
🔹 Smart Financing Solutions – Reduces uncertainty for investors.

Collaboration on Construction Project with Tablets

Infrastructure spending will not slow down—but without a skilled workforce, projects will have a difficult time succeeding. Fusion Group is ensuring the industry doesn’t just expand—it evolves.

Does your project have the adequate preparation for the experience gap? Let’s build a smarter solution together.

Mitigate Construction Risks Today

Trust Fusion for comprehensive risk management solutions tailored to keep your construction projects secure and on track.