Gen Z as Construction Business Employees

We lost out on Gen X skilled trades and we’re partly to blame. “Our culture has been taught and is passing on a poor perception of trades,” said ConstructEd.

If perception is the problem, then perception is the fix. It’s time to promote what we do as valuable and exciting. Let’s change the way the construction business is seen by the Gen Z (1995-2015) workforce.

If you’re a construction business employer or recruiter, you need to know: What will appeal to this new workforce?

Attracting Skilled Gen Zers to Your Construction Business

It’s never too early to attract young people to skilled trades opportunities. –Randi Bakalar, Doosan Bobcat North America

The average 4-year degree graduate has $40,000 or more in student loans and limited opportunities. In contrast, a 2-year skilled trades program often includes internships, paid on-the-job training, and employment is abundant.

Connect. Let’s begin cultivating high school students at job fairs and with presentations that showcase construction industry jobs. Emphasis should be on:

• Advancement – Career growth is important to this age group. The construction industry offers a proliferation of leadership and management opportunities.
• Benefits – A potential 6-figure income that doesn’t include student loan payoffs is enticing, but Gen Zers may care more about job satisfaction and good work/life balance. Emphasize the well-rounded advantages of construction business employment.
• Technology – Texting is a viable form of communication for this age group. Gen Zers are technology-savvy and when you encourage technology solutions for your company, you’ll be seen as a better employer.

You Can End the Skilled Trades Shortage

Many advanced countries don’t value 60-hour/week office jobs as much as we do. What good is earning more money if your sedentary desk job is going to impact your quality of life? That’s something Gen Z workers care about and upon which the construction industry should capitalize. Our work is rewarding and promotes a healthier lifestyle.

“Promotion” is the key to ending the skilled trades shortage. Shamelessly advertise your company as an industry leader; tell the world about your technological innovations, successful employees, and employment advantages.

As the Gen Zers might say, “Put yourself out there.” It’s the first step toward connecting with talented workers.

When you want to connect with business opportunities, put Construction Monitor to work. Call us for more information.