{"id":32652,"date":"2025-10-07T09:42:02","date_gmt":"2025-10-07T16:42:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/in-recruiting-construction-needs-to-pitch-being-a-leader-not-a-laborer\/"},"modified":"2025-10-07T09:42:02","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T16:42:02","slug":"in-recruiting-construction-needs-to-pitch-being-a-leader-not-a-laborer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/in-recruiting-construction-needs-to-pitch-being-a-leader-not-a-laborer\/","title":{"rendered":"In recruiting, construction needs to pitch being a leader, not a laborer"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> [ad_1]<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech\">\n    <button class=\"text-to-speech__button button\"><br \/>\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"text-to-speech__button__icon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/static\/img\/play.svg?500116090725\" alt=\"-\"><br \/>\n        Listen to the article<br \/>\n        <span class=\"text-to-speech__button__audio-length\">5 min<\/span><br \/>\n    <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech__controls\">\n        <audio controls=\"\" class=\"js-text-to-speech\" preload=\"none\"><source src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/dmgi9movl\/video\/upload\/q_1\/v1759846678\/news\/text_to_speech\/in-recruiting-construction-needs-to-pitch-being-a-leader-not-a-laborer_dvxtfg.wav\" type=\"audio\/mp3\"><\/source><\/audio><\/p>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech__controls__text\">\n            This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\">feedback<\/a>.\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"editor-note\">\n<p>Boyd Worsham is president and CEO of the National Center for Construction Education and Research, a nonprofit foundation. Opinions are the author\u2019s own.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Ask any high schooler what a career in construction looks like, and most will picture a hard hat, a hammer and maybe a ladder or a truck. What they won\u2019t picture is a foreman managing crews, a superintendent overseeing multimillion\u2011dollar projects or a business owner hiring their own teams.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>That\u2019s not because those roles don\u2019t exist. It\u2019s because no one told that student about them.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The construction industry talks a lot about opportunity and for good reason. These are high-paying jobs that don\u2019t require a four-year degree. But we don\u2019t always tell the whole story. Too many students hear, \u201cbe a plumber,\u201d or \u201cbe a welder,\u201d as if that\u2019s the ceiling and not the first step.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<figure class=\"image-right inside_story\">\n<div class=\"figure_content\">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Headshot of Boyd Worsham.\" data-imagemodel=\"187308\" src=\"https:\/\/imgproxy.divecdn.com\/e3eNMGCKnNAoCZSr5qUTjYE4Gm0KOwBWxlA1SC7fFCQ\/g:ce\/rs:fit:1600:0\/Z3M6Ly9kaXZlc2l0ZS1zdG9yYWdlL2RpdmVpbWFnZS9Cb3lkX1dvcnNoYW0uanBn.webp\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"inside_story_caption\">\n<p>Boyd Worsham<\/p>\n<p>Permission granted by NCCER<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Here\u2019s the truth: Construction isn\u2019t a dead-end job. It\u2019s one where people can build something better for themselves, their families, their futures. It\u2019s where someone can start working with their hands and rise to lead an entire company. But students can\u2019t choose what they don\u2019t know exists. And right now, we\u2019re giving them an incomplete picture.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Even with <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/lifestyle\/careers\/skilled-trades-high-school-recruitment-fd9f8257?mod=author_content_page_1_pos_9\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>more interest in trades<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, a lot of young people still don\u2019t see construction as a long-term career. Perception \u2014 not reality \u2014 is driving their decisions. It\u2019s not because the opportunities aren&#8217;t there, but because of what they think the opportunities are. They\u2019re working off old ideas, not real ones.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Sure, 85% of teens say trades are a good option, but <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/ir.stanleyblackanddecker.com\/news-events\/press-releases\/news-details\/2022\/Drilling-into-the-Skilled-Trades-Shortage-Stanley-Black--Deckers-Inaugural-Makers-Index-Reveals-Few-Students-Likely-to-Consider-a-Career-in-the-Trades-Outdated-Perceptions-Key-Drivers\/default.aspx\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>only 16% plan to pursue them<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, according to a recent study commissioned by Stanley Black &amp; Decker. Nearly half have never even talked to someone who works in the industry and many underestimate the salary and career potential.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>This is not just a messaging issue, it\u2019s a mindset issue. If students are only hearing about a first job, it\u2019s no wonder they assume there\u2019s nothing after. They can\u2019t choose what they don\u2019t know exists.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"standard-heading\"><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Tell the whole story<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>To change this perception problem, first we must tell the whole story. Yes, in most cases, young people enter the trades by learning a craft, but many later become supervisors, estimators, project managers, executives and even business owners. We need to stop showing just the entry point and start showing the many pathways. Craft professionals can earn promotions, start businesses and mentor others. They can build lives, not just structures.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Second, we need more meaningful conversations in schools. Career days, guest speakers and jobsite tours are a start. But what if every CTE student met three professionals: a craft professional, a superintendent and a business owner? That\u2019s how you show progression.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Instead of just saying \u201cconstruction is a good job,\u201d we need to show how that job fits into a career. A young person might be excited by learning a skill but more will be inspired when they can see a future.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Even with the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/news\/gen-z-construction-recruiting-tech-benefits\/728715\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201ctoolbelt generation\u2019s\u201d interest<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span> in the field, there\u2019s still not enough new workers to meet the surging demand. The Associated Builders and Contractors reports the industry needs nearly<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/news\/2025-workers-construction-needs-how-many\/738205\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 439,000 additional workers this year<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span>. Filling those roles means doing more than handing out job descriptions. We need to tell stories that resonate.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Let\u2019s stop assuming students don\u2019t want to know more. Let\u2019s ask: Would you like to run a job site? Manage a team? Own a company? Let\u2019s talk about how someone gets there and who\u2019s already done it. Construction is full of those success stories. We just have to make them visible so students can make informed choices.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>And let\u2019s not sell short the folks who want to stay in the craft. Not everyone wants to manage others or run a company and that\u2019s okay. With industry booming across the country, we need experienced craft professionals on the ground to get the work done. From housing to highways, the country is facing a surge of building needs that can\u2019t be met without a strong, skilled workforce at every level.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"standard-heading\"><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Seizing the moment<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>There is real optimism in the industry right now. More companies are thinking about how to treat and retain people, not just hire them. More industry associations are coming together, rather than competing. It feels like a moment of alignment, and we need to seize it by attracting more talented individuals to life-changing careers in construction.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>When students see a future rather than just the first step, they engage at another level. They stay longer, work harder and eventually lead.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Construction has a powerful story to tell. It\u2019s a story of opportunity, growth and real-world success. But until we tell the whole story, we\u2019ll keep watching students walk away.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Let\u2019s give them something to run toward.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>[ad_2]<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/news\/in-recruiting-construction-needs-to-pitch-being-a-leader-not-a-laborer\/802201\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">This article was originally posted at Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[ad_1] Listen to the article 5 min This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have feedback. Boyd &#8230; <a title=\"In recruiting, construction needs to pitch being a leader, not a laborer\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/in-recruiting-construction-needs-to-pitch-being-a-leader-not-a-laborer\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about In recruiting, construction needs to pitch being a leader, not a laborer\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[457],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32652","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-construction-dive","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32652","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32652"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32652\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32652"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32652"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32652"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}