Michael J. Pallerino

More than a year after an EF-2 tornado tore through Rolla, Missouri, destroying the cafeteria at Mark Twain Elementary School, reconstruction efforts are officially underway. S. M. Wilson & Co. has begun construction on an 8,200-square-foot storm shelter addition at the school as part of a $7 million recovery project for the Rolla 31 Public School District. The new FEMA-rated facility will serve as both a storm shelter and the school’s cafeteria and kitchen when completed in late 2026.

A growing labor shortage is reshaping the future of the construction and facilities industries as demand for skilled trades workers accelerates across the U.S. According to a new report from JLL, job postings for electricians, HVAC technicians, plumbers and construction workers have doubled over the last decade as companies race to replace retiring workers and support increasingly advanced building systems.

Everything in Texas seems to be getting bigger right now—population growth, energy demand, commercial construction and the need for skilled labor to support it all. BlackRock is stepping into that conversation in a major way with its BlackRock Future Builders.