The Cape Fear region is built by skilled hands. Carpenters, electricians, plumbers, masons, equipment operators, and dozens of other trade professionals are the people turning plans into neighborhoods, schools, medical offices, small business spaces, and the infrastructure that keeps our communities functioning.
And when work slows, it’s not just projects that pause. It’s paychecks. It’s careers. It’s families. Protecting the trades means protecting the people who keep this region moving forward.
The Cape Fear economy is tied to job sites, not just job postings
In the Wilmington, NC Metro Area (Brunswick, New Hanover, and Pender counties), construction and extraction roles make up a meaningful share of local employment. In May 2024, construction and extraction accounted for 4.8% of total employment in the Wilmington metro, with a mean hourly wage of $25.04. Bureau of Labor Statistics
That matters because construction paychecks don’t just stay on the job site. They circulate through the rest of the local economy: groceries, restaurants, truck maintenance, childcare, rent or mortgage payments, and everything else a household needs.
A “single project” is actually dozens of jobs
A common misconception is that construction equals one contractor and a few laborers. In reality, residential construction alone takes a deep bench of specialized trades. On average, one new home requires the expertise of 24 different subcontractors from start to finish.
So when delays, shifting policies, or uncertainty cause projects to stall, the impact hits wide. It affects small trade businesses, independent crews, and the local suppliers and service providers that support them.
The workforce pipeline is under pressure
Here’s the challenge: the region needs more skilled workers, but the pipeline is not keeping up with projected demand.
A 2025 Wilmington Region Labor Market Analysis report shows that by 2032, the largest share of openings in the region is projected to be in Trades and Transportation (29.9%). But in the 2023–2024 academic year, Trades and Transportation made up 21.0% of community college completers. NCCCS Students
That gap matters. When demand outpaces supply, you get longer timelines, higher costs, and fewer local workers available to take on the next project. It also makes it harder for young adults, career changers, and veterans to see a clear path into stable, well-paying work.
Rising costs and uncertainty make stability harder to maintain
The construction industry is operating in a higher-cost environment. Between 2013 and 2024, the average total construction cost to build a home rose by approximately 73.7% (construction expenses only, not including the lot).
When costs climb, and projects get slowed down by delays or shifting requirements, builders build less, trade contractors get fewer billable hours, and the whole ecosystem gets more fragile. This isn’t abstract. It shows up as reduced overtime, postponed hiring, and skilled workers leaving the industry altogether.
North Carolina’s job market is tight, and that changes the stakes
North Carolina’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.8% in November 2025. NC Commerce That kind of labor market means construction companies are competing harder for talent, and workers have choices. If the local construction pipeline becomes unstable, tradespeople can and will go elsewhere, taking experience and capacity with them.
Once that happens, it’s tough to rebuild quickly. Skilled trades are learned through years of practice, mentorship, and steady work.
What protecting the trades actually looks like
Supporting workforce stability doesn’t mean “build at all costs.” It means being practical about the decisions that create predictable work and keep skilled people in the region.
It looks like:
- Consistent permitting and inspection processes so schedules are reliable
- Clear, predictable code requirements that don’t change midstream
- Policy decisions that weigh real-world job impacts, not just headlines
- Workforce development aligned to demand, especially in the trades pipeline. NCCCS Students
A balanced approach to affordability, so housing can be built without breaking the system CFTA Website Content
Bottom line: protecting trades jobs protects Cape Fear families
When construction work stays steady, families stay steady. Paychecks stay consistent. Apprenticeships turn into careers. Small trade businesses can hire and grow. And the region can keep up with the housing, infrastructure, and economic development that everyone relies on.
If we want a stronger Cape Fear region, we have to take care of the people building it.
If you’re part of the trades, work alongside the trades, or simply care about the future of our community, now’s the time to pay attention, speak up, and support solutions that keep our workforce working.