My father was a banker, but he was a builder at heart which meant he was constantly remodeling our houses and then selling the improved product. Growing up, I was always surrounded by builders, was captivated by the sounds and smells of construction, and was fascinated not only by the process of construction but also the masterminds behind it. By the time I was old enough to start working, I got a job at a cabinetry shop. Seeing the grit, innovation, and skill of these folks day in and day out gave me an immense respect for the trades.
I was lucky enough to learn at an early age that at the heart of the construction industry are incredible people. Sadly, many of these folks have reached retirement age and left the industry, and now one of the biggest challenges construction faces is attracting and retaining enough people—and specifically, those in the trades. Young people today simply aren’t as exposed to construction as past generations were, and to make matters worse, trade contractors also have a “branding” problem. How do we begin to correct these misperceptions and attract more people—especially from the younger generation—to the trades?