Recruiting for the Trades Isn’t Us Versus Them

by Paul Deffenbaugh | 1 May 2021 12:00 am

It’s not just the trades trying to pull young people in, increasingly it’s parents, schools and other groups that are pushing some students toward the trades as a good—if not better—alternative to college. That is really gratifying to see that.

As part of that, you can find lots of comparisons between the careers of young people who attended college and those who went into the trades. For the most part, those entering the trades begin their careers at a much higher salary and with no debt. That’s true especially among the liberal arts majors where the initial salary can be quite meager.

“What bothers me most about this us-versus-them mentality is the idea that the only candidates we should consider for the trades are high-school students or people without college degrees.”

That’s a compelling argument for the young to choose the trades as a career. But increasingly you see memes that denigrate the college student in comparison. One I saw recently identified Philippe as a philosophy major and questioned his sensibility in pursuing such a degree compared to Bud who went into the trades. Even the choice of names was revealing.

There is nothing wrong with making the choice to pursue a degree in philosophy. (I may be sensitive to that because I actually have a degree in philosophy.) But what bothers me most about this us-versus-them mentality is the idea that the only candidates we should consider for the trades are high-school students or people without college degrees.

When I was in graduate school, several of my fellow students were working in the trades while they earned their degrees. And at my first construction job, almost everyone had a college degree. We had workers with degrees in philosophy, French, chemistry and biology as well as a few without degrees. (That mix certainly made for lively break discussions.) The one thing we had in common was we all valued our degrees, but we also valued working with our hands. You can do both.

My point is that in the middle of a significant shortage of skilled workers, not pursuing a group of potential candidates because they have a college degree doesn’t make any sense. And not pursuing candidates because they’re immigrants or women or live in the wrong area doesn’t make any sense either. We need all the help we can get, and we need to spread the net wide.

Part of spreading that net is making sure that when we do capture someone outside of our traditional circles, they feel welcomed and valued on the job site. Construction doesn’t have to be an old-boys network, and the ideal prospect may not be 18 years old. She might be a 26-year-old Latina with two children. And she may be the best worker you’ve ever had, but if you never find her or you scare her away on the first day because the job site is unwelcoming, you will never know that.

To people in our industry who are reluctant to reach out beyond their normal recruiting areas, I want to ask, “If the United States Army—or Navy, Marines or Air Force—can find value in all these diverse populations, why can’t the construction industry make use of them?”

I’m not advocating inclusiveness just for inclusiveness’s sake. I’m advocating a simple, market-based reality that there are more people out there who can serve in the trades than we traditionally approach. Let’s start with college graduates. Let’s start with people with philosophy degrees. I can’t tell you how much I value the trade skills I learned. In fact, while I appreciate understanding Kantian dialectics and the proficiencies I developed in reasoned debate, I think my ability with hammer, saw and tape measure has provided a more practical benefit.

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