Talent and leadership are alive and well in America’s youth! Last month, I attended the SkillsUSA National Championships in Louisville, Kentucky. First of all, WOW! 6,000 students competed in 100 competitions from baking to welding to graphic design to carpentry all under one roof. These students are the best of the best skilled young people that America has to offer, and they were competing for the gold medal in just about every industry sector.After seeing the competitions firsthand, I have to ask: Were you there? Did you attend your state’s SkillsUSA competition? Do you know what SkillsUSA is? As an industry, we cannot sit back and complain that we do not have enough skilled young people to fill our open positions if we are not willing to invest the time and energy into connecting with organizations that are doing it right. I am very lucky that my job allows me to travel around the country and meet the wonderful, hardworking people who make up the construction and maintenance industries. But at the same time, I am astounded at how many of them are unaware of SkillsUSA.
The following was originally published on the NCCER blog Breaking Ground. Reprinted with permission.There’s no better time to work in the construction industry than now. With a growing skilled workforce shortage, salaries remain high and career opportunities are plentiful. Earlier this year, NCCER released its annual Construction Craft Salary Survey, which lists the average annual salaries of craft professionals from industrial and commercial construction firms across the country.For as high as these salaries are, the reality is that what skilled craft professionals earn is typically far greater. The salaries listed in NCCER’s survey are average base salaries, not including overtime, per diem, bonuses or other incentives.
June 15, 2016
Construction companies in Indiana will need to hire more than 61,000 workers over the next two years. This alarming statistic is why the Indiana Construction Roundtable Foundation partnered with Build Your Future (BYF) to create the Build Your Future Indiana campaign. The campaign is used by a unique collaboration of employers, state agencies and industry associations all working together to encourage residents to learn about construction careers and training opportunities now emerging in the state.To kick off the campaign, Build Your Future Indiana was launched earlier this year, and customized promotional materials – such as trading cards, posters, brochures, wristbands, sunglasses, stickers, cups, carpenter pencils, lanyards and bookmarks – were sent to more than 1,000 Indiana high schools. Along with these materials, customized presentations, videos and career day resources were also created for Build Your Future Indiana to promote in schools, meetings, conferences and career days across the state. While BYF resources are available for any organization, BYF partners have the ability to customize material with their own branding and information, which can contribute greatly to the success of their campaigns.In the few short months since Build Your Future Indiana was created, over 1 million people have already viewed the TV commercials (see the three short videos below) that BYF customized for the partnership.
April 27, 2016
To create a sustainable pipeline of craft professionals for the construction industry, 18 states have proclaimed October as Careers in Construction Month. Governors in Nevada, Colorado, Oregon, Utah, Nebraska, Texas, Indiana, North Carolina, Louisiana, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Florida, Ohio, Georgia and Michigan have all recognized Careers in Construction Month in their states.Started by NCCER's Build Your Future (BYF) initiative in 2005, Careers in Construction Month was originally known as Careers in Construction Week. Due to tremendous response from organizations that recognized and supported Careers in Construction Week, BYF expanded its efforts to spread the word about construction careers by declaring October as Careers in Construction Month.
October 16, 2015
The following article was originally published in Breaking Ground, The NCCER Blog by Jennifer Wilkerson, a Construction Citizen blogger and NCCER’s Director of Marketing, PR, and Build Your Future. Reprinted with permission.So why hasn’t the construction industry been able to change the public’s perception of careers in the industry? Why aren’t more young people choosing careers in construction? First, we need to stop having city, state and regional meetings to figure out what we should do. We need to stop patting ourselves on the back because we participated on a committee that produced a report or white paper detailing what should be done to combat the skilled workforce shortage in our industry.It amazes me when I see outputs from committees all over the U.S. pontificating about the skills gap and discussing ways to connect education and industry, provide local and state support and unite communities, parents and businesses on the topic. They all say the same thing, and what amazes me even more is that these are not new ideas.
October 06, 2015
According to recent data from the Construction Labor Market Analyzer, the construction industry will need 1.5 million additional craft professionals by 2019. To highlight this shortage and create a sustainable pipeline of craft professionals, states are proclaiming October as Careers in Construction Month.Alabama, Indiana, Nebraska and Mississippi already have proclamations signed by their state governors declaring October as Careers in Construction Month (CICM). This nationwide campaign is designed to increase public awareness of the opportunities available in the construction industry. Schools, contractors and organizations are encouraged to partner locally and host construction career events throughout the month. In recent surveys conducted at local career fairs, 92 percent of the students attending these events stated the career fairs increased their interest in careers in construction.
June 29, 2015
According to NCCER’s 2014 Craft Professional Wage Survey, wages for craft professionals continue to rise with the average annual salary being more than $50,000, excluding overtime, per diem, bonuses or other benefits. This is very encouraging news for anyone looking for career opportunities and alternative options to a four-year degree.NCCER began collecting this data in a quest to provide accurate information about the numerous construction career opportunities available to students, transitioning military and displaced workers. NCCER participates in numerous career fairs, presentations and panels representing the industry to a variety of organizations throughout the year including counselor and teacher associations. I personally have used this survey in presentations in which I have had educators ask if individuals can really make that kind of salary in the construction industry. As an industry, we have to realize that the majority of the public really has no idea about the amazing opportunities construction offers.
March 04, 2015
Each year, NCCER and Build Your Future (BYF) are proud to celebrate Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month in February. CTE Month celebrates the extraordinary achievements and contributions of CTE programs across America, which prepare students for careers in today's economy.The Construction Labor Market Analyzer forecasts that more than 2 million new craft professionals will be needed in the construction industry by 2018. The skilled trades continue to be the hardest jobs to fill in the U.S., resulting in plenty of career opportunities for CTE graduates. CTE offers programs such as welding, HVAC, plumbing, electrical and carpentry to prepare students for high-paying, in-demand construction careers at both the high school level and in postsecondary programs.
February 20, 2015
