(9 pages) The US skilled labor market is facing record-high pressure, particularly for companies with manufacturing and construction operations. Increasing labor scarcity, amplified by the COVID-19 disruptions, has intensified competition for talent, raising the sectors? average wages by more than 20 percent since the first quarter of 2020. 1?Economic news release: Employment situation: Table B-8,? US Bureau of Labor Statistics, updated April 5, 2024; com...