they jump on an educational conveyor belt ,” said Casey Welch , CEO of Tallo , an employment and scholarship platform geared toward younger workers . “ It may stop for some after high school , after college or after military service , then they go , ‘ what do you want to do ?’ But the pandemic has stopped that conveyor belt for some people . They ’ re open to different industries .”
Research so far suggests that openness is especially characteristic of younger workers . Survey data published in August by Adobe show more than half of Generation Z employee respondents said they planned to pursue new jobs in 2021 , while 59 % of this contingent also ranked lowest in job satisfaction among generational groups .
The trouble is , when these workers do seek to pursue new avenues , they are not very likely to put construction in their sights .
Welch pointed to Tallo ’ s April report analyzing survey responses from more than 29,000 Gen Z high school and college students about the brands , industries and career paths they desired . In a ranking of 22 industries , construction placed close to dead last , attracting the interest of 16.7 % of respondents . Only forestry ranked lower .
Asked why a generation that is already primed to try new things may not even give their industry a second thought , construction employers , consultants and educators point to a mishmash of factors and a multitude of perceived failures . Still , the opportunity is there , some argue , and it will take a concerted effort to bring future generations to the job site .
An industry in need of renovation
When it comes to building long-term talent pipelines , the construction industry is not what it used to be .
In 2003 , there were 1 million construction workers in the U . S . ages 16 to 24 , according to U . S . Bureau of Labor Statistics data . This figure peaked at more than 1.7 million workers in July 2006 before bottoming out at 547,000 in January 2010 . As of last month , the industry ’ s pool of young workers still has yet to return to the heights it experienced before the mid-2000s recession .
Part of the problem may have to do with candidates themselves , said Paul Crovella , an assistant professor at the State University of New York ’ s College of Environment Science and Forestry who specializes in sustainable construction . Specifically , he said younger members of the workforce simply have less experience working with their hands . As schools shift their focus to training students on computers and software , that may mean less exposure to the more physically-intensive skills required in the construction field .
But the industry has its own complications , including gender , socioeconomic and other stereotypes about who a construction worker is , Crovella said . “ That ’ s where , today , construction companies are working very hard to open up and be inclusive ,” he continued . “ It ’ s unfortunate but it ’ s still prevalent enough in the industry that it creates big problems .”
Given the next wave of workers comes from a generation that , according to Pew
12 DITCHMEN • NOVEMBER 2021