Press Releases

Minority Construction Industry Report

HARTFORD, Conn. – The Minority Construction Council of Connecticut released a report that documents persistent workforce disparities in the construction industry that hinder the development of Black and Brown workers and firms in Connecticut.  

Produced by BJM Solutions, LLC, the report was developed to investigate the economic impact of infrastructure investments funded by the federal and state governments have had on Black and Brown communities across the state. The report highlights structural disparities in Connecticut’s construction industry that have resulted in significant underrepresentation of Black workers in the construction trades in the state. The White construction workforce is aging rapidly and increases in minority participation must occur soon if the industry is to remain healthy. The lack of a robust pipeline of minority construction workers and firms can have deleterious effects on the future of Connecticut to meet the future needs of the state.  

The report makes over a dozen recommendations. One of the primary recommendations is that large buyers (owners) of construction projects demand that non-minority construction companies increase their utilization of Black and Brown construction firms on their projects. A second important recommendation is that the State of Connecticut increase its investment in training minority Connecticut high school students in the construction trades. A third important recommendation is that leaders in the non-minority and minority construction industry along with the largest buyers of construction services and the construction trade unions in the state convene to develop a comprehensive plan to grow the numbers and capacities of Black and Brown construction firms and the number of minority construction workers in the industry. Visit the Executive Summary for the full list of recommendations. 

The report was funded by The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, The COMMUNITY Foundation for Greater New Haven and Fairfield County’s Community Foundation. The Minority Construction Council of Connecticut is a 501-c3 Hartford based not-for-profit that works on developing minority construction companies in Connecticut. BJM Solutions, LLC is a Connecticut based economic consulting firm specializing in supplier diversity and minority business development.  

Copies of the Executive Summary and the full report can be accessed by visiting the Minority Construction Council of Connecticut’s website, www.mccforct.org.

Contact: Jennifer Little-Greer | 860.882.0675 | jlittle-greer@mccforct.org