In a ceremony at Santa Fe College’s Sasser Fine Arts Hall on May 14, 53 students crossed the stage as graduates of the college’s Apprenticeship Program. Among them, 33 electrical and plumbing apprentices also earned their journeyman licenses, with the program posting a 98% pass rate on the exam.
The apprenticeship program, operated in partnership with the Builders Association of North Central Florida since 2007, enrolls more than 300 students each year across plumbing, HVAC, electrical and building maintenance tracks. Apprentices work full time for local employers while attending classes two nights a week at Santa Fe College’s Northwest Campus. Students earn wages while training and graduate debt-free with a certificate that can count toward an associate degree.
The graduates are entering the workforce at a critical time for the construction industry.
Associated Builders and Contractors estimates the construction industry must attract 349,000 new workers in 2026 to meet demand. Meanwhile, the Associated General Contractors of America’s 2025 workforce survey found that 92% of construction firms report difficulty hiring qualified craft workers.
The long-term outlook points to additional pressure on the workforce pipeline. Alachua based National Center for Construction Education and Research projects that 41% of the current construction workforce will retire by 2031.
The opportunity is especially significant locally. In Alachua County, construction ranked as the top-earning industry for women in 2024, with median earnings of $54,056, according to U.S. Census data compiled by Data USA.
Skilled trades also appear less vulnerable to disruption from artificial intelligence than many office-based professions. Pearson research analyzing more than 5,000 jobs found that less than 1% of tasks performed by blue-collar workers can be completed by generative AI, compared with roughly 30% of tasks associated with white-collar work.
That stability is increasingly appealing to younger workers entering the labor force. Jobber’s 2025 Blue Collar Report found that 77% of Gen Z respondents prioritize careers that are difficult to automate, with electricians, plumbers and carpenters ranking among the most attractive career paths.
BANCF President David Hilman emphasized the importance of the graduates’ role in the industry during the ceremony.
“Every apprentice here tonight has put in years of hard work, long days on the job and nights in the classroom to reach this moment,” Hilman told graduates and their families. “You are the future of the industry.”
For Alachua County’s business community, that future is already beginning to take shape.
Sources · Santa Fe College Apprenticeship Program graduation release, May 2026 Santa Fe Release
· Associated Builders and Contractors: Construction industry must attract 349,000 new workers in 2026 ABC News Release
· Associated General Contractors of America and NCCER 2025 Workforce Survey: 92% of construction firms report difficulty hiring qualified craft workers AGC Workforce Survey
· National Center for Construction Education and Research: 41% of the current construction workforce projected to retire by 2031 NCCER Workforce Report
· U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey data compiled by Data USA: Construction ranked as the top-earning industry for women in Alachua County in 2024 with median earnings of $54,056 Data USA Alachua County Profile
· Pearson Skills Outlook research analyzing more than 5,000 jobs across multiple countries found generative AI had lower automation potential for skilled trades and manual labor roles than office-based professions Pearson Skills Outlook Research
· Jobber’s 2025 Blue Collar Report found 77% of Gen Z respondents prioritize careers that are difficult to automate Jobber Blue Collar Report 2025
Editor’s note: This is the latest in a series of business columns called “Good in Gainesville” sponsored by Pavlov Media.