Wisconsin is up to fourth in state rankings for construction business climate, according to the 2023 Associated Builders and Contractors’ Merit Shop Scorecard.
Only Georgia (1), Florida (2), and Arkansas (3) are ahead of Wisconsin with Indiana (5) rounding out the top five. In 2022, Wisconsin dropped to 11th after ranking 5th in 2021.
The scorecard, released annually since 2015, ranks all 50 states and the District of Columbia based on state policies and programs that strengthen career pathways in construction, encourage workforce development and advocate for fair and open competition on taxpayer-funded construction projects. The scorecard also identifies states where economic improvements are needed. The rankings are based on seven criteria: project labor agreements, prevailing wage laws, right-to-work laws, public-private partnerships, workforce development, career and technical education and job growth rate.
“Commonsense conditions and policies that encourage competition, are vital to safe, quality construction that is built efficiently and effectively for taxpayers and businesses,” said John Mielke, ABC of Wisconsin president. “It’s sometimes hard to get Republicans and Democrats to agree on what to order for lunch, but in Wisconsin, both parties know the importance of bridging the construction skills gap; an investment in everyone’s future and a big factor in Wisconsin’s return to the higher ranking,” Mielke said.
Mielke is referring to Wisconsin’s grade in Workforce Development, which jumped from a “D” in 2022 to a “B” in 2023. The Badger State’s grade for Career and Technical Education also rose from a “B” to an “A.” However, Job Growth Rate dipped from a “B” to a “C.”
The top states have strong workforce development systems. Wisconsin has invested in adult registered apprenticeship, youth apprenticeship and the return of tech ed into high schools.
