There’s a talent shortage, and it’s hardly a surprise. I wrote a post about it in 2011 during the financial crisis, and with the upsurge in projects the last couple of years, it’s becoming more evident.
During the crisis, folks had to leave the industry to find work to support their families. Baby Boomers are retiring, and GenXers and Millennials may not yet have the knowledge, experience, or for that matter, the desire, to bridge the gap.
For the Millennial generation, I see them asking for flexibility, inclusion in decision-making and opportunity for advancement. Millennials have been shaped by technology since childhood and they expect to see it play out in their jobs. I also think they perceive construction as “old school” career. This may have been the case in years past, but just with the rest of our lives, technology is advancing in the construction industry at an ever accelerating pace.
As innovation continues to snowball, our field will increasingly need innovators to piece the advancements together. Then, we’ll need folks to train people in the new technology and career for paths for those in the various subspecialties.
The construction is becoming steadily more tech-centered and an exciting, quickly evolving field with a wide range of career paths. Those millenniums that can see through the fog and over the horizon will be the winners.
