According to the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) 2025 Industry Trends Survey, skilled labor shortages will remain a prominent issue next year.
Fifty percent of skilled tradespeople identified a lack of qualified candidates as the top challenge in 2025.
However, this marks a slight improvement, with a 3% decrease from the previous year.
Retirement and workforce retention are key contributors, with 31% of respondents highlighting these as major staffing concerns.
To address these challenges, 37% of organizations anticipate focusing their 2025 budgets on increased hiring efforts.
Additionally, 18% of respondents plan to prioritize employee training, signaling a shift towards workforce development initiatives.
Jim Pauley, NFPA President and CEO, said: “Addressing the skilled labor shortage is not just a challenge, but an opportunity to invest in the future of our workforce.”
The survey revealed an increase in the adoption of digital tools, with 46% of respondents planning to integrate more technology into daily operations in 2025.
This represents a 9% increase from the previous year.
Currently, 38% of workers identify a lack of job-enabling technology as a top challenge.
Additionally, 31% point to limited knowledge sharing and collaboration as obstacles.
Enhanced technology is expected to alleviate these pressures. However, barriers to adoption persist.
The survey found that 44% of respondents cite implementation costs as the primary obstacle, followed by a lack of training or knowledge (25%).
Furthermore, 20% of skilled workers anticipate resistance within the industry to adopting new technologies.
Training and certification programs are a priority for the skilled workforce in 2025.
Over half (54%) of respondents plan to increase their participation in training sessions compared to 2024.
Similarly, 52% expect to pursue more certifications, reflecting a 10% rise from the previous year.
Respondents highlighted the benefits of professional development opportunities, particularly through trade associations.
Networking opportunities and training programs were identified as the most valuable aspects by 51% of participants, while 47% cited access to industry resources and publications.
Pauley emphasized the need for workforce investment: “Organizations must not only embrace technology but invest deeply in training and certifying their workers.”
The NFPA conducted its survey between November 5 and November 12, 2024.
Responses were collected from 358 U.S.-based workers aged 18 and older across various sectors, including construction, engineering, and fire services.
The NFPA’s 2025 Industry Trends Survey highlights challenges and priorities for the skilled trades workforce.
While skilled labor shortages persist, there is a slight decrease in concern, with organizations focusing on hiring and training.
Technology adoption is gaining momentum, with 46% of respondents planning to increase digital tool usage.
However, barriers such as implementation costs and a lack of training remain.
Training and certification programs are expected to expand, with over half of the respondents planning to increase their participation.
Networking and professional development opportunities through trade associations are also valued by workers.
The survey collected responses from 358 skilled tradespeople across various
