A roofer is seen working on a condominium in Canterbury Crossing on a hot day Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020 in Latham, N.Y.Lori Van Buren/Getty ImagesMichael Bodei, a seasoned construction business owner, is struggling to find skilled labor amid a national shortage.The US construction industry is short about 500,000 workers due to limits on immigration and disinvestment in trade schools.Despite high wages, stigma around the building trades and more flexible job alternatives are deterring new workers.When Michael Bodei went into construction 31 years ago, it was a faster way to make the kind of salary he wanted than becoming a lawyer, the other career option he was weighing.Bodei's family has been in the construction business for generations, so he'd seen how lucrative it could be to build and renovate upscale single-family homes in affluent suburbs.