![In the President's proposed 2018 budget, career and technical education programs under the Department of Education could see a 15% budget cut.](https://img.forconstructionpros.com/files/base/acbm/fcp/image/2017/06/bridge_building.593040c3d6154.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=crop&h=288&q=70&w=512)
President Trump recently released his 2018 budget proposal, which would make cuts to some programs that would help grow the skilled labor force, according to a recent Construction Dive article.
For example, career and technical education programs under the Department of Education could see a 15% budget cut. Funding for apprenticeship grants could see a 5% budget cut, and the Department of Labor's budget could see a 20% cut reducing funding for job training.
A lack of skilled labor is already a major issue, but if infrastructure construction does get a funding boost from the President's proposed budget it may be even harder for contractors to fill the needs of increased construction with a decrease in funding to train new workers for the construction industry.
(more pros and cons for the construction industry from Trump's 2018 budget proposal...)