NOW is the time to get into the trades

*The best time to get into the trades was 20 years ago. The next best time is right now.*

The time and opportunity are right now – photo credit here

That’s my take on the old saying of when the best time is to plant a tree. I jest (sort of) but I have been watching the labor market for the past decade or so and after 20 years in I can confidently say if you are actively seeking a new career, NOW is the time to jump on in – the water is fine.

It’s just as the title of this post states: NOW is the time to get into the trades. The reality is that there has never been such a strategic push to get people into respective crafts; at least that I can tell, anyway. If you were lucky enough to get into the trades 20 years ago, pat yourself on the back – you have A LOT to offer. Think about it: if you have 20 years of experience and close to 30 years more to offer the trade, YOU ARE A VALUABLE ASSET. Given the seismic shift we see in the construction industry currently taking place, this makes sense. Companies are looking for any port in the storm. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why this is, why the trades are seeing a huge recruitment boom, and why NOW is the time to get into the trades.

The Gray Wave

This wave may not be gray – but the retirement one definitely is

I used to refer to it as baby boomers retiring until I heard someone say “the gray wave.” It’s real and the Pew Research Center noted the number of retirees was 28.6 million in the third quarter of 2020 alone. That’s A LOT. No doubt COVID – 19 accelerated a lot of people and their respective retirement. This, of course, leaves positions that need to be filled. There is a lot of experience exiting the industry and a real need to replace them.

What ISN’T discussed is that they are not the only ones retiring. Along with them is their hesitancy to embrace technology and their old ideas – many of which needed to be shelved a while ago – some of which are discussed below. The catalyst for many of the changes taking place, though, can be found in the massive retirement wave taking place.

College degree saturation

The landscape may be saturated by rain – but so is the workforce with college degrees

Readers of this website will know all too well I have been on a crusade against the mantra “you have to go to college to get a good job” – It simply isn’t true. I and millions of others are living proof. In my own life, my wife is a stay-at-home mom who homeschools our kids while I work and provide. I know many others who are in the same boat, too.

For at least 40 years now we have seen a massive push towards college and it has caught up to the workforce: the market is saturated with people who have college degrees. We have approached the workforce and higher education wrong for decades and we are seeing the fallout of it now. I have MUCH more to say about it but for the sake of brevity will refer you to the other posts about it here, here, and here.

*I am anti “you have to go to college to get a good job” – NOT anti-college or higher learning. I believe and applaud the continual personal improvement people can and should make throughout their lives. I myself am an example – I just finished taking a class. Still, this idea that someone has to go to college to get a good job is rubbish and needs to be addressed on as many fronts as possible.*

As a result of poor policy, indoctrination, and successful exploitation, college degrees have increased exponentially – along with college debt – which is around 1.75 Trillion – yea, you read that right. (the debate about debt forgiveness rages on – there are some interesting articles you can read about it here, here, and here if you’d like). At the same time, people pursuing careers in the skilled trades have diminished considerably. Add the number of people in the trades discouraging their own kids from following in their footsteps along with the gray wave and you have a tremendous number of vacancies – and that leaves a void to fill.

Women in Construction

Construction is a viable choice for many to make a good living – photo credit here

Resulting from the above, women are entering into the skilled trades at an increased rate. The reason for this is twofold: the retirement of baby boomers (and some archaic ideas) as well as tapping into a previously unused resource to try and fill in the gaps that have become a massive shortage. While it’s true some of the trades are more physical and see fewer women in them, the increase overall is happening.

What’s more, there is a very real case to be made for union-building trades – and this is especially true where women are concerned. Labor Tribune has an interesting article detailing just how women fare in unionized vs non-union construction. I share the article not to discourage women from entering; rather, it is to promote unionized apprenticeships and trades in general. The data is out there for any to check out – you just have to dig to find it.

Women have a lot to add to the trades – and their contributions should be compensated fairly. The CBA – or Collective Bargaining Agreement – has built-in fairness. Simply put, when women are in a union covered by a CBA, they are compensated as they should be: fairly. Their contributions, their approach, their differences – all should be utilized in the construction industry but done so without exploiting them. To that end, unions score another win here.

Technology Adaptation

Tech in construction is changing the game – photo credit here

Given that so many and their antiquated ideas are leaving the workforce, nature abhors a vacuum. This means that change is coming – and it’s coming big time. There is a free for all taking place and technology is no different.

A decade ago, technology had its place; limited, and if we are honest, used sparingly. Today, however, it is quite different. The new generations in the workforce embrace technology; they grew up with it and are comfortable utilizing it. Contrasted with a generation that was adverse to tech and you get an interesting turn of events: a large boom of technology influx to an industry with a historically adverse nature.

What does this influx of technology look like? How is the construction industry changing – and at what pace is it changing?

I recently published another article discussing this very thing, the link to read it is here. Essentially, it details how technology (I list just a few components), coupled with the new generations coming into the workforce is ushering in great change.

If you don’t read the article, however, I’ll say just a few words about the above. In the next decade, we are going to see technology explode in the construction industry – expanding and growing it to places we couldn’t see even 10 years ago. Real-time digital drawings (and revisions), constant and continual communication, lean construction (where it can be implemented) – all and much more will expand the industry – and I for one look forward to seeing what happens.

Diversity and Inclusion

Construction diversity is good for everyone – photo credit here

This is an interesting topic because, as I mentioned talking about women in construction, diversity is taking place – whether some are comfortable with it or not. Again, not only is this healthy but also necessary: Construction Executive, the Associated Builders and Constructors publication (anti-union advocacy group) estimates that in 2020 Hispanics made up about 30% of the workforce in the construction industry.

That’s a lot. Moreover, just like with women and their contributions being exploited, so are Hispanics in a big way. I know companies who exploit Hispanics, the youth, women, and minorities in general, and the reason they do? Because they can. The labor law in our country is due for serious reform; the table is largely tilted toward management and unfair labor practices are, in a very real sense, unpunishable. This needs to change.

Interesting to note, though, is in the area of diversity and inclusion unions again are far ahead of the curve. Not only is the playing field level for minorities and women to enter, maintain, and succeed in the industry, but unions also embrace them in their own business initiatives. There are a growing number of women and minorities who are becoming business owners – and this should be celebrated.

Lastly, and I could (and just may) write an article about this, with women, minorities, and the coming generations entering the labor force, we are seeing a seismic shift in people’s willingness to work and be exploited. The simple truth about it is, in many companies, white people are paid more, have more to lose, and are the most likely to be intimidated by anti-union tactics because they don’t want to lose what they have. Minorities, women, and the youth have a different take. They want a fair shake – they can and sometimes do have different values, are more likely to stick together, and it’s deeply interesting to me to see this being fleshed out. Starbucks is facing a giant union push and Amazon is demonstrating anti-union unfair labor practices attempting to stave off union drives. While not construction, what it IS demonstrating is an interest in understanding workers’ rights, what they can do, and how the landscape is changing.

It is only a matter of time before the construction industry reflects this, too. For my part, it is something to be celebrated. For too long now we have seen exploitation at a large scale and a level playing field is something the public desperately needs. IF the workforce didn’t have huge hurdles, you’d see a large number of people elect to be represented overnight. How else do you explain a 71% approval rating for unions?

Again, NOW is the time to get into the trades.

Skilled Labor is Harder to Find

True skilled labor has a price demand and there is a shortage

COVID-19 taught some very valuable lessons. Our supply chain is vulnerable to disruption and we are still seeing this now. With so much being made overseas, we saw difficulties in getting products in the normal course of business.

The answer for many businesses was to invest in manufacturing again in the United States and why not – the end result was to sell the majority of the product here in the States, anyway. The supply chain disruption we are still seeing has shown the world how delicate the whole process really is.

With increased manufacturing, however, come more jobs. And those jobs often pay more than your normal retail and/or conventional job many think of when entering adulthood. Consider, for example, this article by CNN, which talks about the difficulty of finding skilled people to work in manufacturing – which has a few ramifications. The two I’ll highlight here are increased wages and greater opportunities for contractors to provide assistance to those facilities – which is a plus for skilled labor. I’ve seen contractors make a lot of money working at various industrial facilities and I’m of the opinion that trend is only going to grow for the next decade or two. Of course, this means those working for contractors in this sector can make a lot of money, too. I know guys who regularly make $80,000 to $100,000 a year – AND THAT IS ON THE CHECK – benefits are on top of that. The opportunities are real and increasing everyday.

Opportunity Abounds

There is SO MUCH opportunity in the trades – photo credit here

If for no other reason, NOW is the best time to get into the trades due to the sheer amount of opportunity available. The shortage, retirement of baby boomers, and increased opportunity provided make a perfect storm for people to capitalize on. Consider, for example, this video by Gary Vaynerchuk who discusses the “quiet quitting” trend – and more importantly, the “never applying in the first place” trend. When there are so many opportunities for people to make money and thrive, companies are going to have a tough time finding people to do the jobs that, 20 or 30 years ago, people would have fought for. Who would have thought we would be at a time and place where companies would have a hard time getting people to apply for their jobs in the first place? Sure, wages are going to be a thing of consideration – so much so that a $80,000 to $100,000 talking point will become a thing of the past at some point – but right now Gary is right: if companies want talent they are going to have to pay for it.

Case in point: I was conversing with a maintenance manager recently who was looking at contractor support because they had positions open for over 6 months with no applicants. Last I heard, they had hired a couple of people but increased the wages in order to do so. Otherwise, they weren’t getting any nibbles. And this story is playing out all over the country.

In the end, companies are going to have to start really respecting skilled labor, their contributions, and the skill they bring to the table. Some companies believe they “respect” their skilled workforce and maybe they do – but the reality is many don’t. IF those individuals didn’t go to work every day and bring their experience and knowledge with them, the company would lose out. I’ve said it before but it’s an interesting time to be in the workforce and see this dynamic play out. For my part, I look forward to seeing an increased level of respect due to the skilled trades.

IF you haven’t considered the trades or you are thinking about a career change, NOW is the time to get into this opportunity-rich environment. I know many who make a great living and you could be among the ranks. So, jump on in – the water’s fine!