Companies are Getting More Creative to Attract Future Workforce

By Karen L. Edwards, RCS Editor.

St. Louis contractor UPCO partnered with artist Howard "Chingy" Bailey Jr. to write and produce a song and video called "Old Construction Road."

Competition for young workers is heating up and the skilled labor gap continues to widen. Companies are finding themselves having to get more creative in order to get the attention of and attract the next generation of workers. Up Companies (UPCO) in St. Louis recently partnered with Bailey, an international artist who hails from the area, to play off the popularity of the Lil Nas X hit song, “Old Town Road” to appeal to young people in this recruiting video.

UPCO President Michael B. Kennedy Jr. shared with Construction Dive why they made the video. "Speakers and job fairs aren’t getting it done, so we are trying to think outside of the box and be creative to project the fun and creative industry we have."

The video took about three months from start to completion and since it was published on YouTube December 20, 2019, it has garnered more than 17,800 views! Kennedy told Construction Dive that, “We also wanted to create awareness among potential employees, particularly minorities, that we are the premier destination for careers and to motivate them to consider working for us.”

Other companies are turning to the minority population as potential recruits into the trades. ATAS International, an industry leading manufacturer of metal panels for the building envelope, is supporting efforts to recruit women into the trades. They participate in the Let’s Build Camp for Girls, a free week-long camp designed for high school age girls to explore the construction trades, architecture, engineering, and construction materials manufacturing through hands-on experiences and field trips. ​

This past summer, Kevin Klersy and Mike Plocinik of ATAS’ Technical Services Department spent an afternoon with the campers, demonstrating and assisting in the installation of Opaline metal wall panels and trims. The year before the campers learned about the installation of Dutch Seam and Advanta Shingle metal roofing.

Interest among women for working in the trades is growing. North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) reported that their 2019 Tradeswomen Build Nations Conference had record-setting attendance with more than 2800 tradeswomen representing 48 states and ten provinces represented.

Other national organizations like National Women in Roofing (NWiR) have put a heavy focus on recruiting women into the roofing industry. They have made recruitment one of the organization’s four pillars, with the goal to “reach beyond traditional recruitment strategies to attract and hire women who will bring diverse backgrounds, talents and experiences to the roofing industry.”

When you recruit talented women and minorities into prominent roles within your organization, other talented women and minorities are going to notice.

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