Skilled Labor Shortage is Extensive

 

 

 Musing About The Skilled Trades Shortage Being Extensive

 

 

Researching the skilled trades shortage (one of the realms I constantly live in), I came across this nugget in Forbes:

“Industry leaders must proactively tackle this crisis head-on because the numbers look bleak: McKinsey reported that there will be a shortfall of 300,000 engineers…”

VERY Interesting – and not why you think, either.

 

Interesting Thoughts Concerning Engineers

We desperately need some new and bright ideas

 

Yes, to a degree I am not surprised since people entering into the workforce have abundant opportunities. I’ve been saying this for a while, now: where there is more opportunity, older, established “legacy” industries have to seriously compete to attract and retain workers.

One of my favorite tweets I’ve seen came from Mr. Beast earlier this year – the most popular YouTuber:

 

70 Billion over the past 3 years – and JUST ON YOUTUBE ALONE.

Read that again, and think about this: IF millions can make a living on YouTube ALONE – not to mention the rest of the internet, why would they work in industries like manufacturing and construction?

 

I was surprised that the title of the article, “Solutions for The Construction Craft Labor Shortage,” included a stat of a 300,000 engineer shortfall. The idea that engineers are a skilled trade, I suppose, could be heavily debated, but I was a bit taken aback at first.

There are several reasons for this. I won’t cover them all – but I will go over what I believe are some of the most pertinent.

For most of my working lifetime, there has been a divide between white-collar and blue. This is, of course, lamentable, but overall, I can understand why. Most engineers I’ve encountered have little to no field experience. That’s why I wrote The Rare, Elusive, and Experienced Field Engineer in the first place. To meet several structural engineers that are PEs AND repelling down a structure inspecting it?

Color me impressed.

However, they are the exception, not the rule.

The rule seems to be people get engineering degrees, never leave the office, and – this is most unfortunate – have a level of arrogance that is unbecoming.

I’m not throwing stones in a glass house: I KNOW many in the trades have a level of pride, too: Ironworkers probably being the most notable. And, I advocate for EVERYONE to possess a level of humility that’ll help personally and professionally.

Still, the level of responsibility engineers have necessitates their experience level comes with some real experience and not just theory.

This is why I (and many others) advocate for engineers to have some real, time in the field, experience. There’s nothing like seeing/experiencing/being in the field that helps you. All things being equal, experience is irreplaceable and should be sought with tremendous effort. From the individual AND the industry as a whole.

 

What if – Engineers?

 

It is this thought – coupled with the idea that engineers could be considered a skilled trade that made me think: What if the trades were more aligned with engineers? What if, in the interest of gaining experience, engineers partner up with the trade of their discipline (structural, mechanical, electrical, etc.) and gain some valuable work experience? What if they worked in the field for the same companies they provided engineering services for? What if that brought about greater cooperation between engineers and tradesmen? What if engineers were more closely aligned with those in their respective fields?

And, what if they became a skilled tradesman themselves?

It isn’t as far-fetched as it may seem.

I am working with a contractor who has a millwright on staff – who is also a mechanical engineer.

I really want to have him on the podcast in the future, but for now, I’ll paraphrase the words of his employer (a millwright by trade, himself): When he told him he understood if he left his employment and went somewhere else, he replied he couldn’t find anywhere else that had the same great benefits the millwrights union gave him.

BOOM.

There you have it: a marketing measure if I’ve ever heard one. I can see the headlines now:

 

“Engineer turned millwright because of work experience, great pay, and benefits.”

 

Yes, I understand this is a rare exception and definitely not the rule – BUT, I’m always thinking of possibilities. If we want things to stay the same, all we have to do is absolutely nothing, and we’ll get just that.

In the end, I have criticized the entire construction industry and its recruitment strategy – if what is done can even be called active recruiting. For the most part, the passive approach has yielded what you have now, and everything is uphill from here. I published an article a little while back – Tools to Help Address The Stigma Against The Trades – and even then, it isn’t on recruitment, but I’m left to wonder: what would the shape of our industry be if we were intentional about everything we did – especially recruitment and getting the word out? What could the trades look like? What are the possibilities? Could it be those entering the STEM (Science, Engineering, Technology, and Math) fields do not know about the skilled trades – and all they offer?

I’d say it’s more than possible; it’s probable. And that is a failure to be active and intentional.

Let’s commit to changing that.