October is Careers in Construction Month, so it’s important that we all promote the construction industry and the career opportunities it holds.
During the month, BTF will be promoting construction careers to everyone from kindergartners to high school students to people actively looking for jobs or to change their careers. Here are the initiatives we have planned for October.
Teaching Kids about Construction
Part of the reason for the talent shortage in construction is the stigma that has been placed on working in the trades. Combating that stigma starts with showing children that people who work in the trades play an important part in our everyday lives.
That’s why BTF Engagement Managers will be visiting schools to read Someone Builds the Dream to students in kindergarten through fourth grade. Written by Lisa Wheeler, this children’s book teaches kids that buildings, bridges, and homes wouldn’t exist without the people who build them.
By teaching kids from at young age that there is honor, dignity, and opportunity in construction, we can help de-stigmatize the trades and close the talent gap.
How You Can Help
Reading to kids is a fun, rewarding way to plant the seeds for the future construction workforce. If you're located in one of our markets, we invite you to join our Engagement Managers in reading Someone Builds the Dream and getting kids excited about working in construction. Just contact us to get started.
Career Events for High School Students and Job-Seekers
According to the National Center for Construction Education, 40 percent of the current construction workforce will retire by 2031, which will have a dramatic impact on the talent gap. Both the immediate and long-term future of the construction workforce lies among high school students. These young people face important decisions about their futures, and we are helping them see the building trades as a viable career path.
BTF Engagement Managers regularly organize and participate in high school career events throughout the year, but will be doubling their efforts in October. During this month, they will be meeting with as many students as possible, promoting careers in construction and showing them how they can get started.
These events will promote careers in construction and encourage students to explore the 30 career pathways on JobsToBuild.com. The more they learn about the many opportunities in construction, the more likely they are to pursue construction for their own careers.
Our Engagement Managers will also be hosting career events for students who are already in trade schools, as well as people who are working in different industries and who are considering changing careers to construction. A key aspect of these events will be to bring employers to these events, where they can meet directly with students and candidates.
In all cases, Engagement Managers will be encouraging students and candidates to register on JobsToBuild.com, where they can learn about educational programs as well as be more visible to employers.
How You Can Help
If you work in construction, you can play an important part in these events by serving as a role model. By visiting schools and meeting and speaking to the students about your background and experience, you can set an example for the next generation of homebuilding professionals. You could also be finding talented people to fill your job openings, now and in the future. Contact us to find out how you can get involved.
Spreading the Word on Social Media
Throughout the month of October, BTF will be promoting careers in construction on all of our social media channels. We will be sharing pictures from our school and career events, providing information about specific careers, and encouraging people to visit JobsToBuild.com to learn more.
How You Can Help
You can support this effort by promoting careers in construction on your social media channels.
Watch for our posts, then re-share them as much as possible.
Showcase your own people and have them share why they enjoy working in construction.
Use the #CareersInConstructionMonth hashtag, and tag Building Talent Foundation’s and JobsToBuild’s social media channels. Links to our channels are below.
BTF Social Media Channels
JobsToBuild Social Media Channels
We’ve also created a Careers In Construction Month banner you can use on your social media home pages
Visit and Share JobsToBuild.com
JobsToBuild.com is an increasingly important tool in educating young people and career-changers about the opportunities available to them in construction. Besides the thousands of available jobs, it also features a Career Exploration section with information on 30 career pathways, allowing users to explore the many high-demand careers in construction and learn about the career environment, tasks, skill requirements, and salary ranges.
How You Can Help
Register as an Employer on JobsToBuild, and start posting jobs today! And if you know someone looking for a job in construction, invite them to visit the site to learn about the various careers, register as a Job Seeker, and create a profile.
Careers In Construction Month offers a unique opportunity for all of us to spread the word about working in the construction industry. Our goal is to start a groundswell of interest in the sector, attracting more people – from high school students to career-changers – to the industry.