Grand Forks, North Dakota, October 4, 2025
News Summary
A tightening labor market is reshaping North Dakota as nationwide construction shortages, rising wages and expanded training collide with a major industrial investment. The construction sector faces a national shortfall of about 400,000 workers while North Dakota average wages rose 4.6%. Local firms report gaps in field supervision, project management and skilled trades and are expanding apprenticeships, campus hiring and outreach. Education programs are scaling up and the planned $450 million Agristo processing facility in Grand Forks — requiring thousands of acres of potatoes and projected to create 200–300 jobs — is prompting regional workforce and agricultural planning.
Construction labor shortages, rising wages, expanded training programs and Agristo’s $450M Grand Forks plant underscore North Dakota workforce shifts
Summary: The region faces a tightening labor market marked by a nationwide shortage of workers in construction, state-level wage gains, expanding training pipelines and a major new industrial project. The construction industry is facing a labor shortage of about 400,000 workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. At the same time, new data from the North Dakota Labor Market Information Center show the average annual wage in North Dakota increased from $59,050 to $61,810 in the past year, a 4.6% increase. A separate, state-focused development is the planned Grand Forks processing facility by Agristo, a USD 450 million investment that is already prompting local agricultural and workforce planning.
Top takeaways
The hardest positions to fill in the region’s construction industry are field supervision and project management roles. Demand also remains high for carpenters, masons and other skilled trades, while several firms report rising need for mechanical and electrical engineers on mission-critical projects. Companies and unions are stepping up outreach, apprenticeships and campus hiring to build pipelines.
Who is feeling the pinch and how they are responding
Regional general contractors and builders report persistent gaps across multiple roles. JE Dunn focuses hiring efforts on field supervision and project management, with superintendent roles traditionally being the hardest to fill. JE Dunn is working to build more awareness of career opportunities within skilled trades at the K–12 level to encourage students to explore trades as career pathways. Early-career and campus hiring are a main component of JE Dunn’s talent acquisition strategy, and the firm’s internship program has grown consistently year over year and serves as a pipeline for early-career talent in both field and project-management career paths.
Kraus-Anderson finds it hard to hire people in general, and carpenter and labor positions are becoming more challenging to fill. Kraus-Anderson is a union contractor and its tradespeople are union workers. Trade unions do outreach across crafts and Kraus-Anderson visits high schools to give students opportunities to meet with company representatives and learn about careers in the trades.
Construction Engineers always has demand for skilled tradespeople. CE’s recent new hires have primarily been entry-level hires. CE developed a Registered Apprenticeship program in 2021 to build its workforce. CE’s apprenticeship program is designed to create a training pathway for individuals with little or no carpentry experience. Apprentices in CE’s program receive both classroom and on-the-job training and earn a wage while developing carpentry skills. CE’s apprenticeship supports skill development and functions as a pipeline for future growth.
McGough reports steady demand for carpenters and masons, typically seeking workers with advanced training and skills, while also placing emphasis on company culture and job security. McGough is seeing an increased need for more technical skillsets, including AI awareness and how AI can be utilized.
Unions and trade organizations
The North Dakota State Building Trades Union is involved in 15 craft disciplines and member organizations cover all areas of commercial, industrial and residential construction projects. The private, jointly-managed, trade-centered classroom education model combined with on-the-job training is being used to build the next generation of craftspeople for North Dakota.
Education and training pipelines
Universities and technical programs are expanding to meet industry needs. North Dakota State University’s Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering offers several construction-related programs, including a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management (with a required minor in Business Administration), a Bachelor of Science in Construction Engineering, a Master of Science in Construction Management, a Master of Construction Management (online) and a graduate certificate in Construction Management (online). NDSU’s construction curriculum stays current with industry standards and technology and has accreditations from the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) and the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). The new USD 100 million Richard Offerdahl Engineering Complex building is scheduled to open in fall 2026 and will include two premium labs dedicated to construction programs: a virtual reality lab and a visualization lab.
South Dakota State University’s Construction Management and Concrete Industry Management programs have seen fast growth. The Concrete Industry Management program is one of only five CIM programs in the nation and began in fall 2021. The CIM program has grown from two students in 2021 to over 60 students and provides hands-on lab experience related to concrete production, quality control and ready-mix plant operations.
Wages, job growth and local labor supply
State-level labor data show wages rising across sectors and very low unemployment. North Dakota wages have risen 33% since 2015. Unemployment across North Dakota remains extremely low; about 1,300 people in the whole state are receiving unemployment benefits. The job postings in the state’s system show less than half a person (fewer than 0.5 resumes) per opening within the system, indicating a shortage of applicants per job opening. In 2024, North Dakota employment increased 1.7% compared to one year prior, a gain of 7,053 jobs. Of North Dakota’s 20 major industry categories, 14 reported employment increases over the year. The industries with the largest employment gains were health care and social assistance (up 1,885), construction (up 1,872), and government (up 1,272).
Average annual wage data for specific occupations and metros show incremental increases from 2023 to 2024. For example, the average annual wage for construction and extraction occupations across North Dakota (all industries) was $64,250 in 2023 and $66,150 in 2024, a 2.9% increase. Construction and extraction occupations in the Grand Forks–East Grand Forks metro had average annual wages of $59,480 in 2023 and $61,460 in 2024, a 3.3% increase.
Agristo’s Grand Forks project and regional ripple effects
Agristo, a leading Belgian family-owned producer of premium frozen potato products, has officially begun site preparation for its first U.S. processing facility in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Agristo’s planned U.S. facility represents a USD 450 million investment. The Grand Forks site is on a 360-acre plot and will produce French fries, waffle fries, hashbrowns, tater tots and other potato specialties for the North American retail market. To support full-capacity operations, Agristo will require over 20,000 acres of potatoes. Local seed growers are scaling up production of Agristo’s preferred potato varieties. The fall 2027 crop is earmarked to supply the facility for its planned opening in January 2028. A ceremonial groundbreaking for Agristo in Grand Forks is scheduled for April 2026. The Grand Forks facility is projected to generate over 200 jobs upon launch and scale to more than 300 positions at full production.
Retention and long-term workforce development
Employers emphasize retention through career development, pay, culture and training. JE Dunn focuses on finding the best people, providing interesting and challenging work, and sharing the rewards of the company’s success as part of retention. CE’s retention strategy emphasizes career development and long-term growth, regular check-ins, career pathing conversations and investment in leadership training and technical skill-building from the moment an employee joins.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the nationwide construction labor shortage?
The construction industry is facing a labor shortage of about 400,000 workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What wage changes have been reported for North Dakota?
New data from the North Dakota Labor Market Information Center show the average annual wage in North Dakota increased from $59,050 to $61,810 in the past year, a 4.6% increase.
Which construction roles are hardest to fill in the region?
The hardest positions to fill in the region’s construction industry are field supervision and project management roles.
What is Agristo investing in Grand Forks?
Agristo’s planned U.S. facility represents a USD 450 million investment.
When is Agristo expected to begin full operations and what crop will supply it?
The fall 2027 crop is earmarked to supply the facility for its planned opening in January 2028.
When is the Agristo ceremonial groundbreaking scheduled?
A ceremonial groundbreaking for Agristo in Grand Forks is scheduled for April 2026.
Key features at a glance
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Nationwide construction shortage | The construction industry is facing a labor shortage of about 400,000 workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. |
| State wage change | New data from the North Dakota Labor Market Information Center show the average annual wage in North Dakota increased from $59,050 to $61,810 in the past year, a 4.6% increase. |
| Hardest local roles | The hardest positions to fill in the region’s construction industry are field supervision and project management roles. |
| Agristo investment | Agristo’s planned U.S. facility represents a USD 450 million investment; the fall 2027 crop is earmarked to supply the facility for its planned opening in January 2028; a ceremonial groundbreaking for Agristo in Grand Forks is scheduled for April 2026. |
| Apprenticeship development | Construction Engineers developed a Registered Apprenticeship program in 2021 to build its workforce; apprentices receive both classroom and on-the-job training and earn a wage. |
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
Additional Resources
- PotatoPro: Agristo launches major U.S. expansion — Grand Forks potato plant
- Wikipedia: Agristo Grand Forks potato plant
- Grand Forks Herald: Statistics show North Dakota worker paychecks continue to rise on average
- Google Search: North Dakota average wage 2024
- Grand Forks Herald: RJ Zavoral & Sons built on family and driven by excellence
- Google Scholar: RJ Zavoral Sons Grand Forks construction
- City of Grand Forks: Business — Bids & RFP
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Grand Forks bids RFP
- Minot Daily News: Temporary B-1 relocation to Grand Forks approved
- Google News: Temporary B-1 relocation Grand Forks
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