The construction industry faces a workforce crisis of structural proportions. According to the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), the industry needs to attract 439,000 new workers in 2025 alone - and over the next decade, construction will require 1.9 million additional workers just to keep pace with growth and retirements. Against that backdrop, Pima Community College (PCC) has made a significant move to help close the gap.
PCC this week celebrated the grand opening of its newly remodeled and expanded Building and Construction Technology (BCT) Center, expanding training capacity in carpentry, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and construction management - while introducing new modules in commercial and industrial HVAC, refrigeration, and heavy equipment operations. The timing is deliberate. The urgency is real.
A Facility Designed for the Industry's Next Chapter
The new 25,000-square-foot Building and Construction Technology Center is designed to address the skilled trades shortage, with hundreds of students receiving training across core disciplines including HVAC, plumbing, carpentry, and electrical work.
The project was funded through congressionally directed funding of $1.23 million combined with revenue bonds. That model - federal appropriations paired with institutional financing - is one that workforce advocates say other community colleges should examine closely.
The expansion also marks a deliberate shift in curriculum focus. Program leadership noted that the BCT program had been "very residentially focused for many years, because of space limitations" - a constraint the larger facility is now designed to overcome. The new footprint gives each trade its own dedicated area: from classrooms to hands-on labs, with plumbing moving into its own spacious workshop and HVAC, electrical, and carpentry programs each receiving expansive, trade-specific spaces.
PCC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Nasse framed the expansion in direct workforce terms. "This new center represents our commitment to meeting the growing workforce needs of our region," said Nasse. "Students won't just learn about construction - they'll gain real, hands-on experience using industry-standard tools and technology under the guidance of experienced professionals."
BIM, Digital Twins, and the Shift Toward Tech-Integrated Training
The BCT expansion is not simply a larger version of the previous program. It signals a broader shift toward technology-integrated construction education - the kind of training regional firms increasingly require when hiring.
Building Information Modeling (BIM) has become a standard for modern construction projects, moving beyond simple 3D models by adding layers of critical information. The evolution to BIM 7D now incorporates facility management data from the very beginning of the project lifecycle. PCC's construction management track positions students to enter the workforce already fluent in these tools.
Digital twins represent the next layer of industry demand. A digital twin is a dynamic, virtual replica of a physical building or asset, connected to the real-world structure through sensors that provide live data - creating a continuously updated model reflecting the building's current state and performance. The integration of digital twins and BIM can serve nearly all phases of the building lifecycle, making workers who understand both systems particularly valuable to project teams managing large, complex builds.
Digital twin implementations are delivering documented results, including 20-30% improvements in capital efficiency and an 18% reduction in maintenance costs - figures prompting mid-to-large construction firms to actively seek credentialed workers with hands-on exposure to these platforms.
On the robotics front, more than half - 55% - of the $3.55 billion invested in construction technology in Q1 2025 went toward next-generation robotics and AI-enabled technology, compared to less than 30% across all of 2024. That investment surge is creating demand for a workforce capable of operating alongside, and supervising, automated systems - a skill set PCC's expanded automated industrial technology adjacencies are designed to produce.
For more on the data standardization challenges shaping how robotics and AI integrate across construction workflows, see our earlier analysis: Construction Robotics, AI Face Data Standards Barrier.
Industry Partnerships Anchor the Curriculum
PCC's approach to workforce relevance is grounded in employer partnerships. The Building and Construction program is partnering with Trane Technologies to design a living lab that enables students to program and troubleshoot advanced heating and cooling control systems - with real-time data incorporated into the decision-making process. The program also provides JTED high school participants a pathway to earn additional NC3 certifications for building automation.
The expansion further allows the BCT program to deepen its partnership with the University of Arizona for apprenticeships in building control systems - creating a stackable credential pipeline that moves students from community college certificates into longer-term apprenticeship arrangements with regional employers.
Tucson Chamber leadership has pointed to coordination between PCC and the University of Arizona on workforce development as critical to the region's economy. "Matching the demand of local employers to training programs will create a pipeline of workers that will feed our local economic engine," one regional executive noted.
The Trades Gap: What the Numbers Reveal
| Metric | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| New workers needed in 2025 | 439,000 | Associated Builders and Contractors |
| Workers needed over next decade | 1.9 million | ABC |
| Firms reporting difficulty hiring hourly craft workers | 92% | AGC 2026 Workforce Survey |
| Construction wages growth (mid-2025) | +4.2% YoY | Remarcable / Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Estimated economic cost of unresolved shortage | $124 billion in lost output | Deloitte |
| Share of construction workforce over age 55 | ~1 in 5 workers | ABC |
According to the Associated General Contractors' 2026 workforce survey, 92% of construction firms report difficulty hiring qualified hourly craft workers - a figure that has exceeded 80% for several consecutive years. The shortage, analysts note, is not cyclical. It is structural.
Construction wages grew 4.2% year-over-year as of mid-2025, outpacing the national average across all occupations - driven primarily by labor scarcity. That wage pressure serves as both an incentive for new entrants and a cost burden for project owners, reinforcing why credentialed training pipelines matter for regional competitiveness.
Deloitte estimates the economic cost of the unresolved shortage at $124 billion in lost construction output. Projects are not cancelled - they are delayed, stretched, and repriced. The downstream cost hits every stakeholder from the general contractor to the building owner.
Expanded Training Modules: What PCC Now Offers
| Trade / Discipline | Expanded Scope | Credential Pathway | Industry Partner / Alignment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carpentry | Dedicated trade-specific lab; residential to commercial framing | AAS Degree / Certificate | Regional GCs and developers |
| Electrical | Trade-specific wiring and panel labs; commercial applications | AAS Degree / Certificate | Utility and specialty contractors |
| HVAC-R (Commercial & Industrial) | New commercial/industrial HVAC and refrigeration modules - rare nationally | AAS Degree / NC3 Certification | Trane Technologies (living lab) |
| Plumbing | Dedicated spacious workshop replacing shared multi-trade lab | AAS Degree / Certificate | Mechanical contractors |
| Construction Management | BIM integration, digital project coordination, scheduling tools | AAS Degree | University of Arizona apprenticeship pathway |
| Heavy Equipment Operations | New module added with expansion; simulation and live operation | Industry Certification | Caterpillar / regional contractors |
Note: PCC will be among a limited number of institutions nationally offering comprehensive training in commercial and industrial HVAC and refrigeration - areas where training availability has historically lagged behind employer demand.
Offsite Construction and Modular Skills: The Next Frontier
One area where the BCT expansion positions students advantageously is offsite and modular construction - a growing segment as firms seek to compress project timelines and reduce on-site labor dependencies. Stronger emphasis on operational, autonomous, and integrated robotics is expected to address labor shortages, enhance on-site safety, boost productivity, and lower costs - and those same skills transfer directly into factory-built infrastructure environments.
With the renovated space, PCC students gain access to tools and technology that mirror real-world industry settings - a deliberate design choice addressing one of the most persistent criticisms of trade education: the gap between classroom skills and jobsite expectations.
For context on how workforce intelligence platforms are shaping productivity on modular construction sites, see: Workforce Analytics Aid Modular Construction Amid Labor Shortages.
Key Takeaways for Industry Stakeholders
- For contractors and project managers: PCC graduates entering the market with hands-on BIM, HVAC automation, and heavy equipment credentials represent a new tier of hire-ready talent for both commercial and offsite construction roles.
- For workforce and HR leads: The University of Arizona apprenticeship pipeline integrated into PCC's curriculum creates a structured pathway from certificate to journeyman - reducing onboarding friction for firms willing to engage early.
- For regional developers and owners: A growing local pool of tech-credentialed tradespeople has direct implications for project delivery timelines, labor cost forecasting, and the feasibility of adopting digital-first construction methods.
- For policymakers: PCC's congressionally directed funding model demonstrates that targeted federal investment in community college infrastructure produces measurable regional workforce outcomes.
FAQ
Q: What trades are covered in the expanded PCC Building and Construction Technology Center? The expanded center covers carpentry, electrical, HVAC-R (including new commercial and industrial modules), plumbing, construction management, and heavy equipment operations - each in dedicated, trade-specific lab environments.
Q: Does PCC offer apprenticeship connections alongside its BCT programs? Yes. PCC has formalized apprenticeship pathways in partnership with the University of Arizona, particularly in building control systems. Students can earn certificates at PCC and continue into registered apprenticeship programs with regional employers.
Q: How does BIM training at community colleges affect regional project delivery? Workers trained in BIM and digital coordination tools reduce rework, improve on-site accuracy, and enable more efficient collaboration between trade teams. Industry data shows BIM implementation has reduced rework by up to 48% on documented projects.
Q: Why is commercial HVAC training specifically significant? Commercial and industrial HVAC represents one of the most acute training gaps nationally. Few institutions offer comprehensive programs in this specialty. PCC's partnership with Trane Technologies - including a live-data "living lab" - puts it among a limited group of colleges offering this credential track.
Q: What is the connection between construction tech training and offsite construction growth? As prefabrication and modular construction scale up, firms need workers who understand digital fabrication workflows, robotics-assisted assembly, and BIM-to-fabrication handoffs. Expanded trade college curricula incorporating these tools directly feed the offsite construction pipeline.
