F E AT U R E How to Share Construction Opportunities with Students—and Why You Should by Rachel Burris, NCCER You can help make a difference — not just for the industry, but for the young people who aren’t aware of the opportunities that construction offers. “I grew up in a small town with little education about career opportunities outside of the typical mold of a fouryear degree. Back in 2019, I drove through my hometown and stopped at a fast-food restaurant to find that three of my high school classmates worked there — 14 years post-high school graduation. It made me sad to realize that they probably didn’t know there were and are other options for them.
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After that experience, I found a job posting for the Build Your Future Manager role and started working at NCCER in September 2019. Part of my focus is on helping the construction industry make connections with education, as well as recruiting and reaching people, with a large focus on students. However, the part of my job that gets me out of bed in the morning is knowing that what I do impacts lives. It is my mission to empower students through information to find opportunities that can change their
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circumstances.” — Holly Mathis, Build Your Future Manager We’ve all seen the stats about the workforce shortage in the construction industry: • 53% of the seasoned workforce is expected to retire by 2036. • More than half of construction firms are having a hard time filling both salaried and hourly craft positions. • For more than seven straight years, construction skilled trades are the hardest roles to fill.
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