Companies must develop new talent
Mike Lancaster is president of Frank L. Blum Construction that is headquartered in Winston-Salem, NC. Lancaster says home builders must do more than they have in the past to attract young workers. There was a time that builders would just hire young people and place them on the job site to learn the trade own their own. According to Lancaster, construction firms must attract, appreciate, and develop young talent. Blum Construction is trying to do this by starting a mentoring program. They also put more focus on training new hires. The Winston-Salem area is among the most affordable housing markets in the United States. To be ready for the increased demand for middle-class housing, Blum Construction is improving its employee benefits package to attract and keep young workers.
Builders previously preferred experienced workers
People often take things for granted. They think if they want a new home there will always be plenty to choose from. They also think that title insurance is less important when buying a new home. But, title insurance is needed on any home, and new home construction is a good indicator of the overall health of the economy. When the housing market collapsed, over 2.3 million construction workers became unemployed. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that 900,000 of those people returned to work in the same industry between 2007 and 2010. Very few of those returning workers were under the age of 35. Companies were picky about hiring and found it less costly to choose experienced workers who would not require the added effort of training. People who have worked in construction for many years are less likely to look for employment in some other sector. But, analysts suggest that another reason for the lack of young construction workers is that recent high school and college graduates with more employment options to choose from simply opt for some job that does not involve manual labor.
Fewer young people want to learn a trade
The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) conducted a survey in September of 2015. Their research found that 79 percent of companies are having a difficult time finding hourly workers. This is especially true for jobs like welder, carpenter, mason, and other positions that require some amount of manual labor. Additionally, 55 percent of the responding companies said they are having some difficulty filling salaried positions like project manager and supervisor. Young people are Millennials prefer to communicate, work, shop, browse homes, and do as much as possible via their tablet or smartphone. Technology often allows young people to complete required tasks from any location. If they can work remotely, they will. A skilled trade requires on-site training, hands-on experience, and that the artisan be present to get the job done. The youngest generation of the work force does not see the importance of learning a skilled trade or has not yet been adequately incentivized to seek employment that requires they use their hands for something other than manipulating a keyboard.Just as title insurance is a vital part of purchasing a home, skilled workers are, and will continue being, a vital component of the housing market and overall economy. It is a bad idea to skip purchasing title insurance to try to save a few dollars. Perhaps home builders will need to incorporate a more direct approach to attracting young workers to construction. Just pay them more.
accustomed to using technology in their everyday lives and business practices.
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