Las Vegas NowConstruction Industry Experiences 5 Stages of Grief

Construction Industry Experiences 5 Stages of Grief

Construction was once thought of as a recession-proof industry. The old adage, if you build it, they will come, is no longer happening in a crippling economy. This has taken a emotional toll on workers and the industry.

We've all heard the five stages of grief when it comes to the loss of a loved one -- denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.T hose same emotions are what laid off workers on construction sites are now dealing with.

Projects are few and far between compared to the booming construction industry just a few years ago. Workers on these sites are considered the lucky ones in a field that has dwindled. "Since I started this in 2001, I love being outside. The idea of moving around from different jobs, seeing different things and always learning new things," said Archie Walden.

Walden doesn't hide the passion he has for construction. He says he can relate to the five stages of grief when it comes to construction. "Maybe about three or four years ago we started seeing the first signs of this happen, but there was a lot of denial in there. We just couldn't see the end coming. The bubble had to burst and things fell apart," he said.

Steven Holloway with Associated General Contractors believes the construction industry as a whole has moved onto the last stage of grief. "We have finally come to accept the fact that we are truly in a recession, or depression, and this will probably continue in southern Nevada for the next five years," he said.

Holloway says finally hitting bottom is also signals a slow start to getting the construction industry back on track. "I hope it leads us to taking some measures for a recovery," he said.

The recovery has already come with plenty of emotion for workers like Luis Torres. "I felt that myself. I think it's normal -- the frustration. You look around and say, ‘I want to work. I'm a good worker, I give everything to the company,'" he said.

And after acceptance, Torres says you keep going. "It doesn't mean you stop. We are all going through it. It's not just me alone," he said.