NFPA Survey Reveals AI Use Among Skilled Workers

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) released survey results from more than 170 industry professionals at the NFPA 2024 Conference & Expo in Orlando, FL in mid-June.

The findings reveal trends and attitudes around digital tools, training and development, and AI implementation within the skilled trades industry.

Artificial Intelligence Use

One-quarter of respondents believe AI should be used to help skilled trade workers streamline tasks during ongoing labor shortages. In fact, 19% indicated that either themselves or their organizations have begun experimenting with AI-powered solutions to simplify menial tasks. Also, 31% of respondents believe AI can spur industry growth by making the trades more attractive to a younger generation of workers.

There is still a long way to go, however: 47% of respondents revealed they are not currently leveraging AI in their day-to-day work and are skeptical of it. And only 8% believe AI implementation won’t benefit the fire and life safe industry at all. 

Survey respondents also said they use AI to act as a “personal assistant” to field workers for hyper-personalized and on-the-go learning (13%); streamline manual processes to save time (12%); and enhance learning and development initiatives, like those delivered via virtual reality (8%).

Training & Development

Eighty-two percent of respondents use digital tools daily to help streamline training and development programs. The majority of respondents within this group recognize the diverse benefits that digital tools offer the skilled trades industry, including:

Respondents also noted challenges in leveraging digital tools within their day-to-day operations, despite an increase in the number of participants using five or more tools on a daily basis compared to the 2023 survey results. For example, 69% of respondents cited collaboration as the top challenge for 2024, a significant increase from last year’s results at 29%. The top-reported challenges teams face in leveraging digital tools are:

Most respondents (85%) participate in NFPA training and development, including the association’s print publications, membership, and NFPA LiNK.

Challenges still persist when it comes to advancing training and development programs, with 70% of survey takers saying lack of time is the biggest barrier. Additional barriers include:

Some respondents noted the skilled labor gap has led to less time for career advancement opportunities through training and certifications, and more than one-third reported the skilled labor gap has negatively impacted the amount of time and money spent on recruitment and retention, with some turning down projects due to a lack of qualified labor.

The NFPA collected responses from 171 US and international-based workers, 18 years and older, in the electrical, manufacturing, construction, engineering, architect/design, facility maintenance, fire service, and insurance/risk management fields to determine the findings of the research.