ABC has estimated that this year alone, 500,000 new workers are needed in the construction industry. With builders across the country scrambling to hire and onboard new employees, it certainly comes as good news that Generation Z is demonstrating a lot of interest in skilled trades.
Hands-On Work, Please
Interest in pursuing “hands-on, roll-up your sleeves jobs” has earned Gen-Z the nickname “Toolbelt Generation.” As Forbes reports:
A skilled trade is a job that requires specific skills, knowledge or abilities. These occupations are generally hands-on, roll-up-your-sleeves jobs. Data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center shows the number of students enrolled in vocational-focused community colleges increased 16% from 2022 to 2023. Fields like construction, vehicle maintenance, HVAC repair and installation are seeing major upticks in young people pursuing these careers.
Gen Z’s zest for exploring the trades is well timed: with demand for skilled workers high, the construction industry is facing the imperative to attract new workers. Experts, like Nitzan Pelman, the founder of Climb Hire, attributes Gen Z’s openness to skilled trades to the cost of college education, and the vulnerability artificial intelligence is bringing to careers in the tech sector:
“It’s not a secret that the cost of college has gone up so dramatically in the last decade that it’s really cost prohibitive at this point,” she says. Pelman says pursuing skilled trades can also help “level the playing field,” especially for young people from less-privileged backgrounds and for people of color….“Social capital is a really big gatekeeper and a door-opener for accessing high-quality jobs and helping people break into certain industries,” she says….With the use of artificial intelligence on the rise, many Gen Zers see manual labor as less vulnerable to the emerging technology than white-collar alternatives. They also say vocational schools are a straight path to well-paying jobs. Pelman says increasing salaries and new technologies in fields such as welding, plumbing and machine tooling are giving trade professions a face-lift, making them more appealing to the younger crowd.
Tips for Recruiting and Retaining Gen Z
While the interest Gen Z is showing in trade careers is great news for builders, it’s not the same as a magic wand: strategic effort to bring Gen Z into construction remains essential. For example, analysis by McKinsey & Company partner, Julian Salguero, points to the benefits of appealing to the tech savviness of Gen Z, demonstrating how technology is being leveraged in construction. Compensation and meaningful recognition tactics are key too, and don’t forget purpose:
According to Salguero, young people tend to want jobs that offer career advancement, work-life balance and purpose. “Our research indicates that Gen-Z workers’ motivations for taking, keeping or leaving skilled trades jobs are similar to those of older cohorts, although compensation is less of a draw compared to other factors, including career development, flexibility and meaningful work,” he stated….Attract this cohort by offering options like shift swapping, part-time roles, hybrid and remote work (where applicable) and flexible schedules that allow for better work-life balance. Gen-Z is deeply concerned about the purpose in their work. Highlighting sustainability efforts, such as…using eco-friendly materials and implementing energy-efficient processes, can resonate with Gen Z’s values….Salguero said, “Investing in career development is proven to work, giving employees the opportunity to learn new skills and grow within the company.”
Each One Teach One…
Investment in recruiting, on boarding and training Gen Z hires has a good chance of paying off, in both the near and longer term. As members of younger generations get more involved in construction, they become door openers and champions for their peers to follow. Consider this success story reported by NPR:
Sy Kirby dreaded the thought of going to college after graduating from high school. He says a four-year degree just wasn’t in the cards for him or his bank account….Instead, at the age of 19, Kirby took a job at a local water department in southern Arkansas. He said the position helped him to develop the skills that helped him start his own construction company.Now at age 32, Kirby finds himself mentoring many of his employees, who also opted to learn a skilled trade rather than shelling out tens of thousands of dollars to pursue a degree that they wouldn’t use after graduating.Kirby says blue-collar work is lucrative and allows him to “call the shots” in his life.
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