By Brian Drucks, Where Trades Go
After 50 years in construction, I’ve learned that labor shortages are rarely caused by a lack of work. They’re caused by a lack of people willing, prepared, and inspired to do the work. Today, the construction industry faces one of the most significant workforce challenges in its history. I submit my white hair as supporting documentation. In those years, I’ve learned that nothing changes and everything changes at the same time. But lately I have noticed a few major paradigm shifts. There is a proliferation of not-for-profits doing an incredible job of spreading the word to today’s youth about the benefits of a career in construction. While most of the messaging focuses on savings, (less college debt), as well as “AI” won’t take your job away, these are today’s buzz words that resonate more with parents than the kids. There’s a high probability that today’s youth have never built a tree fort or a go-cart, maybe even never touched a hammer. Construction is as foreign to them as today’s social media driven world is to me.
Maybe that’s why I’m seeing reports of 30% retention.
I see two solutions: setting realistic expectations and mentoring. Young people need authentic exposure to construction before making a career decision. Too often, we sell the opportunity without showing the reality. I remember one of my first construction jobs as a kid, working for a mason in the blazing hot summer. My job was simple: carry cinder blocks to the masons. There was no pep talk or preparation that could have prepared me for the reality of raw hands, sore muscles, and bruised thighs. But that’s construction. My suggestion for getting real-life exposure: we need a formal summer jobs program. Other professional careers have “internships”, which has some cache to it. we need to create a moment of FOMO for the trades. It will save all sides a lot of time, money and disappointment. Today’s challenge isn’t simply finding workers. It’s competing for attention. Every young person carries a device that offers endless entertainment, social interaction, and career alternatives. Construction is no longer competing against other trades. It’s competing against every opportunity a young person sees on their phone.
Part two is the mentorship. I visited Google and NVIDIA’s corporate headquarters this year. The money and the effort that they put into wowing both new hires as well seasoned employees is mind blowing. Jujitsu classes, world class restaurants, 1-hour free massages, how can we compete with only a uniform, maybe a tool bag and a coffee truck? We may not be able to offer free massages and gourmet cafeterias, but we can offer something just as powerful: personal mentorship. Yesterday was Father’s Day and I heard a speech about the role of a father. It’s to raise “Good” men and women, to make sure that our children have the tools to prosper without us. Seems like that’s the same role businesses have in mentoring. We need to ensure we have an environment that is welcoming, nurturing and inspiring! I know many of the larger companies have HR departments and address this, but the truth is many, if not most, construction firms do not. Have you ever sat down with your seasoned employees and actually discussed an onboarding plan? What a difference it made in my own firm. We were the perfect example of the Peter Principle, assuming our best craftspeople automatically knew how to train and mentor new employees.
Another measurable shift is the reduction in candidate response rates to recruiting efforts. Regardless of one’s views on immigration policy, labor availability has clearly tightened. Employers are holding onto workers longer, and many candidates appear less willing to change jobs even when opportunities exist. My firm is constantly running recruitment ads on paid platforms as well as social media. Historically, our recruiting efforts generated 100 to 200 responses and yielded three to five qualified candidates. Today, we’re seeing only 20 to 30 responses from the same efforts. I do not necessarily connect the decline to candidates with illegal status as the reason. I see it more that companies are holding onto their existing staff, even when things slow down, because they’re so afraid of not being able to replace them or bring them back when things pick up. I also see, and have experienced, people with legal status to work here, being afraid to put themselves out there. This situation as well as the aging demographics is not sustainable.
But like everything in life (and in the words of the Rolling Stones), you can’t always get what you want, but if you try some time, you can get what you need.
The trades built this country, and they will continue to build its future. As a fourth-generation contractor and the owner of a technology company focused on workforce solutions, I remain optimistic. If contractors, educators, associations, workforce organizations, and policymakers work together, we can create a stronger pipeline for the next generation.
Years from now, today’s young tradespeople will be telling their grandchildren about the opportunities, careers, and lives that the construction industry made possible.
About the author
A fourth-generation tradesman, Brian Drucks began his journey in the construction industry at just 14. Brian is the founder of Drucks Inc., a commercial painting contractor serving the Tri-State area, known for major projects such as Giant Stadium and the American Dream Mall. Alongside his success in construction, he’s a seasoned entrepreneur in the tech space, having launched several software startups. His latest venture, *Where Trades Go*, is a mobile platform that connects tradespeople with jobs and training opportunities using a smart-matching algorithm—similar to how dating apps connect people.
