Where do we find qualified people to perform the work we have in 2021? I guess the answer is not too different than it’s been for the past few years. We’ve been hearing about the lack of skilled workers in our industry for as long as I can remember.
Baby boomers are retiring from the workplace faster than they can be replaced. The push for a 4-year college degree has been the norm for decades and, as a result, we have huge experience gaps in the construction trades and other skilled trades. In lieu of a 4-year college degree that can carry 5 and 6 figure debt, high school students should be considering what a career looks like in the construction industry. According to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, an average annual salary for a plumber/pipefitter is nearly $54,000. An HVAC service tech currently averages around $43,000 while a telecom installer/repairer shows an average of $66,000. Note that these are averages and not the maximum pay. Add 10-15 years experience and some good communication and leadership skills and you’re talking some real dough.
So, how do we fix this lack of employees to do the work? The first way is to find seasoned people and hire them…..Good Luck! The second is what we call “Grow your own”. Our goal is to find hardworking individuals with a desire to learn and a good attitude and teach them what we do. “But what if I train them and they leave?” is the old adage. The new adage needs to be “What if I don’t train them and they stay?”.
I was inspired by this review that arrived today from one of our customers. “I feel very good about your training program turning out competent technicians. Its a good way to train on interpersonal communication as well. Your team has always been professionally friendly and courteous. Thank you.” This is exactly the goal.
Great work Team!!