By Mark Drury, Shapiro & Duncan

The world was abruptly upended at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it continues to shift and adapt to its repercussions. These times have brought a number of challenges, but also a wealth of opportunities, particularly for the next generation of the construction industry.

Amid Widespread Shifts- Construction is an Essential Industry 

While the majority of elements of daily life and work have been upended in recent months, the construction industry for the most part has forged ahead, and even reported growth while business across several industries was halted and some may be permanently shuttered. If anything, construction workers have emerged as a front-line group during this time, for the responsibility they have to build, operate, and retain building infrastructures and systems.  Overall, it is important to note that while massive unemployment has taken root across the country, construction work has continued. Our industry should be envisioned as a hub for talent displaced from other industries, giving rise to new approaches in recruitment, training, and maintenance of the next generation. 

Major Pivot and the Changing Face of Talent Recruitment 

In the COVID-19 era, the construction industry saw a widespread pivot to zero-in on a new form of safety as a key focal point. Ranging from daily temperature checks to enter the job site, to mask wearing, hand washing, and physical distancing, these activities became a part of everyday life, which for our industry was a dramatic shift from the normal jobsite conduct. 

As protocols pivoted, so has the opportunity to develop new talent for our workforce and the shifting recruitment approaches these changing demographics require. More talent has been made available as industries such as hospitality, travel, and aviation have continued to conduct staff downsizes and layoffs. As workers seek their next career move, construction will continue to emerge as a positive, forward-looking industry brimming with opportunity. The expansion and development of new online certifications and remote training programs are crucial as these displaced individuals seek to join the construction industry. Leading trades, such as carpentry, and the licensed trades, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical, will continue to be highest in demand among new recruits. 

Now more than ever, it is critical to establish a proactive, impactful recruitment process, consisting of: 

• A solid on-boarding process. You’ve made an investment in finding, interviewing, offering employment, and bringing that hire in the door. To ensure you – and they – reach the full potential, you need an extensive structure to expose them to the full spectrum of your business, show them where they fit in, and ensure they feel engaged from the start.  
• A formalized mentorship program. Once these new hires are on-board, how do you keep them there? One way is through a mentorship program, which works best when grown organically from natural mentors and mentees connecting in the field, but having a more formal system in place will ensure greater success. This also helps to strengthen retention. Overall, employees will stay longer where they feel connection and have the resources to support them on their journey. 
• Career path mapping. Another way to recruit and retain new hires is to help them envision and chart their future career path. From noting the path to the top as well as the various pathways available, this approach helps hires keep their eye on the prize, with benchmarks to guide them as they rise.  

What will continue to be most important for construction organizations to understand is that from a recruitment perspective going forward, the incoming flood of talent will be primarily entry-level. As such, these hires will require additional involvement and support from the get-go. It’s critical for us to embrace the unique opportunity we have to train young and entry-level talent, show our commitment to their professional development, and grow resources who accomplish more. 

The Rise of Reskilling, Upskilling, and Adapting Training Methods 

While the pool of talent has changed, so too have the methods used to train and mentor these employees as they enter and grow in their careers. Several education and apprenticeship programs are now being conducted virtually, and there has been significant progress made in the development of digital learning tools using virtual and augmented reality as well as video conferencing platforms. 

Additional elements of the shifts in training approaches include:

• Reduced barriers to changing careers and achieving new certifications. Remote technology and workforce retraining tools will streamline the process to receive industry certifications, such as OSHA, to enter new trade careers. 
• Increased focus on key growth areas, such as modular construction, where social distancing, cleanliness, and material handling can be more tightly controlled.
• Additional boot camp and short-term training opportunities to scale entry-level hires up faster.
• A break from the norm of a typical apprentice model. Now, instead of a focus on time and hours in the field, the emerging model is rooted in performance and prioritizing skills and achievements without being restricted by time. Federal funds from the Workforce Investment Act have been allocated to this effort and this approach is expected to continue. 

Embracing Change and New Measures to Retain Talent 

As our industry grapples with these large-scale shifts affecting our talent pool and subsequent recruitment and training efforts, retaining these hires becomes the next key concern. To ensure employees feel engaged, appreciated, and supported, typically requires a combination of mechanisms at the organizational level. 

Mentorship programs play a large role in employee engagement and usage of resources available to help them grow professionally as well as personally. Helping new or existing hires to keep their finger on the pulse of the construction industry as a whole – and their position within it – is key to fueling their engagement. This approach drives ambition and hunger to learn more and grow through additional educational opportunities and/or training courses. Additionally, the ongoing pandemic has forced people and organizations to place new public health safety measures at the forefront of all initiatives. Safety, and the commitment as an organization to care about staff health and well-being has always proven to drive retention and maintenance efforts. 

The ‘New Normal’ is the ‘New Future’

The truth is, there is no going back to “normal.” The changes, both positive and negative, brought about by this pandemic have encouraged us to focus on the future, continue to embrace technology, and think creatively about the future and the continued possibilities for growth. 

We have continued to keep our employees working when many other industries have had to conduct massive layoffs. This is a factor we are proud of and will use it to encourage new talent to enter the fold. We all recognize the personal reward that comes with being part of the creation of structures and infrastructures. No matter how you contribute, the pride in the work we do lasts a lifetime. This is a leading element driving the future of recruitment, training, and maintenance of the next generation in construction. 

About the Author 

Mark Drury is the vice president of business development at Shapiro & Duncan. He brings more than 40 years of experience in construction management, and oversees the company’s corporate development, contracts negotiation/management, and production of marketing and sales materials. Mark is a past Chairman of the Board of ABC Metro, is a LEED AP and Designated Design Build Professional. He completed his undergraduate studies in History at Shepherd University and graduate coursework at Princeton and Clemson Universities. For more information about Shapiro & Duncan, please visit www.shapiroandduncan.com.