Committee hears shortage of building code professionals; colleges launch micro‑credentials and OBOA moves on apprenticeship application

Dan Carlson, building official for the city of Wilsonville and adjunct instructor in building inspection technology, told the Senate Housing and Development Committee June 4 that Oregon faces a shortfall of code professionals who review and inspect housing projects. "We have approximately 1,500 code professionals," Carlson said, and described broad retirements and local hiring challenges.

Carlson said jurisdictions need more inspectors and plans examiners to keep pace with housing production and to prevent plan backlogs. "We have a lot of project backlogs — jurisdictions receiving hundreds of plan sets without plans examiners able to review them," he said, adding that many students are hired before graduation and that jurisdictions are offering signing bonuses and other recruitment tools.

Community colleges are piloting shorter, stackable credentials to speed entry. Carlson said Chemeketa Community College will launch three noncredit certificates in fall 2025: a permit technician certificate (about 11 weeks, roughly $1,000), a residential plans examiner certificate (about 22 weeks, roughly $2,100) and a residential building inspector certificate (about 22 weeks, roughly $2,200). Those short programs are designed to fold into a two‑year associate of applied science (about seven terms and roughly $20,000), allowing credits from certificates to apply toward the degree.

Carlson also outlined the new apprenticeship pathway authorized by legislation referenced in the hearing: "Senate Bill 1086 requires BCD and BOLI to provide assistance to the Oregon Building Officials Association in developing and submitting to the State Apprenticeship Council a proposal for building inspection apprenticeship," he said. Carlson said OBOA formed a task force and plans to work with the State Building Codes Division (BCD) and the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) on an application this summer and fall; he added the group anticipates requesting funding during a short legislative session to launch the apprenticeship.

A numerical inconsistency in Carlson’s testimony was noted: he recited several figures — total code professionals (about 1,500), replacement and growth needs (about 55 per year), and current annual production (about 50 per year) — then summarized that the state has "a gap of about a hundred and 5 per year." That arithmetic does not align with the earlier stated numbers and should be clarified with Carlson or the training programs.

Ending: Carlson urged the committee to support training and funding measures so jurisdictions can hire and certify enough code professionals to inspect and approve housing at the scale envisioned by state housing goals.