With a growing economy, declining population numbers, retiring baby boomers, changing immigration rules, etc., it is crucial that we work to improve the outside perception of the construction industry in order to meet the projected need of 2.76 million employees by 2020.

According to AGC’s Expecting a Post-Election Bump: The 2017 Construction Hiring and Business Outlook, 73% of contractors report having a hard time finding qualified workers, while 76% predict that labor conditions will worsen over the next 12 months. Moreover, a 2016 study found that only 3% of young adults (characterized as ages 18-25) are interested in construction careers, citing that the work is difficult and too physically demanding. And, more than 40% of those who are undecided on a career also would not consider construction regardless of the compensation.

If good pay, learning practical skills, and opportunities for advancement in the field are not appealing enough to young job seekers, how can we compete against other industries in recruiting more workers from Generation Z?

Connecting with Generation Z, or those born after 1996, is imperative in order to meet the 2.76 million challenge. The task is to shift the perception of construction careers to attract this generation as they begin to enter the workforce.