5 minute read
THE NEXT GENERATION OF CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS
© Can Stock Photo / kuzmaphoto By Randi Bakalar
By / Randi Bakalar
The skilled labor shortage in North America continues to be a significant challenge for the construction industry. While the pandemic delayed many construction projects in 2020, the demand in 2021 is full steam ahead. This strong demand, coupled with older workers retiring, has intensified the labor shortage, creating space for the next generation of construction workers.
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and USG Corporation, 91% of contractors who participated in a study reported having a moderate to difficult time hiring skilled workers for vacant positions. In the months following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, business owners reported having an even bigger challenge in filling open positions. In fact, the study reports 39% of those contractors believe hiring will become even more challenging in the months and years to come.
To foster the next generation of the construction workforce, organization leaders can help close this gap by recruiting Millennials, born 1981-1996, and Generation Z, born between 1995 and 2010. With the recurring worker shortages in today’s construction environment, consider the following tips to help companies in the skilled trades successfully attract and retain Millennial and Gen Z workers.
1. Change the Conversation
It’s never too early to introduce young people to skilled trades opportunities. Parents and teachers should give equal weight to skilled trade careers and higher education paths.
Ultimately, a four-year degree may not be right for every student, and young adults are seeing the financial pitfalls that can come with earning a bachelor’s degree.
In fact, federal data from 2021 shows that the average student leaves a four-year degree program almost $40,000 in debt. In comparison, a two-year degree or trade certification allows students to get paid, on-the-job training during school, and depending on the line of work, many companies will pay for their employees to get trade certifications.
Financial freedom aside, the industry needs to reinforce that skilled trade careers also require talent, knowledge, and dedication. These are roles that thrive on creativity, innovation, teamwork, and quick thinking, and may also provide the opportunity to become a manager or take ownership within a business setting.
2. Connect With Youth
Professional trade organizations must reach out to local high schools to showcase the opportunities in the industry—and their specific trade offerings—to attract the future workforce.
This type of relationship building is in the best, long-term interest of every signatory contractor and Local, and it requires ongoing efforts. This may mean encouraging high school students to consider a tech school, look at union companies for summer internship work, or take into consideration a potential job opportunity after graduation.
Outreach opportunities should also look broadly enough to build connections with students who are nearing the end of their degree programs and planning for their career paths after graduation.
3. Spotlight the Benefits
The belief that you must secure a four-year or liberal arts degree to be well-compensated simply isn’t true. There is good money to be made in skilled trades work. For example, the mean annual wage for construction and extraction occupations can range from $39,000 to $45,580, and mean hourly wage is around $20.67, according to a May 2020 report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Many in the skilled trades profession earn six-figure wages in far less time, and with far less money spent on education, than just about any other field of work. Beyond wages, there are other factors, such as the benefits of work satisfaction, job security, and work/life balance. It is the responsibility of all industry professionals to educate youth on the financial benefits, as well as the fulfillment that comes from other positive aspects of these roles.
4. Encourage Development Opportunities
Finally, it’s important to inform young people of the opportunities for advancement and growth within Chapters, businesses, and Locals—and the industry at large. There are significant opportunities for career progression and growth into management and leadership positions. Showcasing the opportunities for succession planning and business ownership is another aspect of the trades labor force that can provide more value than a traditional career path outside of the industry.
The industry is reaching a tipping point where it will continue to see more significant job gaps as Baby Boomers retire. Capitalizing now on the vast knowledge and skills of these professionals and their ability to train a new generation will be vital to keeping the industry going. Part of this is understanding how to communicate with Millenial and Gen Z employees.
More than any other generation, Millennial/Gen Z employees are driven by financial rewards and potential career advancements. Tying their responsibilities and their place in your organization to the bottom line is important for them to understand how they directly contribute to not only their own success but also the company’s. In addition, it can be important to remember that this group uses digital communication tools for all aspects of their lives. Text messaging and other project management or workflow applications, like Slack, are the preferred way to collaborate and connect.
Ultimately, everyone can play a part in preparing for the economy of tomorrow by taking steps to help attract and retain the next generation of construction professionals. While these tips are meant to encourage you and your managers to strategically plan for the future of your organization, you are the real expert when it comes to your your market, your industry, and the role you play in your community. The more outreach you can do to cultivate awareness for your organization and the opportunities in the industry more broadly, the more successful we will all be in building stronger employees, businesses, and communities. ▪
Randi Bakalar is the corporate communications manager for Doosan Bobcat North America, and has previously served in human resources and labor relations roles for the company. She has extensive experience leading employee engagement programs, communication and outreach, as well as supporting the company’s science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education initiatives and partnerships with higher education programs. Reprinted from constructionbusinessowner.com with permission.
