The housing industry is preparing for a shortage of code officials.
CityLab reports that, according to a survey from the International Code Council, 85 percent of construction and building inspectors are 45 or older, and 82 percent are within 15 years of retirement. Meanwhile, only 3 percent of officials are 35 or younger.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics said that there were 101,000 code inspectors in the U.S. as of 2014.
To combat a potential shortage, the ICC and other building groups are launching programs to train and teach younger trade workers and students.
Building code officials can serve as managers, plan reviewers (checking construction plans to make sure they’re up to par), or inspectors—or they can wear two or three of those hats at once. Inspectors are tasked with ensuring that new buildings (and renovations of old ones) have been built safely and responsibly. They carefully check that everything is braced and wired and insulated to meet the requirements of the local codes.
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