Apprenticeship Is a Recruiting Tool

Truth bomb: roughly 83% of Gen Z workers consider mentorship and hands on guidance to be one of the 3 most important factors in choosing an employer. Millennials are close behind with just under 80%.

Let that sink in for a minute.

Many in the construction industry see a shortage of available workers as a major problem for the construction industry over the next 10-15 years. I argue, however, that another data set suggests that we may be looking at the situation wrong. We should not see a huge problem. What we should see is a huge opportunity.

The younger generations are not looking for something that is enormously different than workers in previous generations. It’s just being expressed – or perhaps stated differently, manifesting – in a different way. Human beings are biologically programed to be part of a tribe. For years, the priority need in a job was to make more money so that a worker could fit into the larger social groups outside of work. This desire for upward mobility put salary at or near the top of a potential employee’s list because they “needed it” to be part of their tribe.

I am not a sociologist, so I am unable to speak about the specific reasons why this outlook has changed in any great depth. My experience in hiring people, however, allows me to comfortably say that what makes potential employees more likely to feel part of their desired social group these days is a feeling that their employer cares about them and their development. Technology leaves us more connected to work than ever; so work has become so integrated with the rest of life that employers are now squarely part of a workers’ social tribe. This is why workers are looking for and consistently ask about mentorship and the ability to work collaboratively with more experienced people. They want to know if employers care enough to invest their most important commodity – time.

Enter apprenticeship programs. While there is still work to do, the data also shows that enrollment in these programs is on the rise. It’s likely because apprenticeship fits squarely into the requirements of the younger generation. If done well, it provides a collaborative environment where a worker can get mentored by a more seasoned worker. The employer is spending the time and resources to invest in the employee’s development and provide a pathway for advancement. As workers gain more training and experience, they can make more of an impact inside and outside the organization. In short, apprenticeship provides an incredible opportunity to meet the needs of potential employees by offering them exactly what they are looking for in a job.

The conclusion: start seeing the labor shortage as an opportunity for the construction industry. Construction apprenticeship programs provide an excellent platform to provide the current workforce with the very thing they are looking for in an employer. Help build and support apprenticeship programs – including the MBCEA’s developing apprenticeship program – and the labor shortage can be turned into an opportunity for the industry by providing the younger generations with the mentorship and collaborative environment they want.

Read about the metal building curriculum initiative that will help fulfill the training requirement for apprenticeships. Learn more about MBCEA membership and read additional apprenticeship articles.