We all know that the smaller pool of workers in our industry has made it difficult to hire quality craftsmen. And unfortunately, the research shows that the labor shortage is only getting worse! It doesn’t help that the school shop department is a thing of the past, and more and more students are being encouraged to go into white collar careers, even if it’s a lifestyle that doesn’t fit everybody. Thankfully, this need for talented trades people has caused some amazing innovation in our industry. Here are some avenues that employers like you can take advantage of to build a highly-skilled team that will help you grow your business:
Build a new internal training system
Start hiring promising younger (or less-experienced) candidates and train them yourself! Talk to your more experienced craftsmen, and ask them ask them if they’d be willing to be a mentor and train new hires. Consider offering additional compensation or other rewards. Build excitement internally and that will translate as you’re out recruiting.
Look to your community colleges
Local community colleges often have educational programs for the trades, and are usually open to mutually beneficial partnerships with businesses. For example, we here at Madden have a scholarship set up with the Portland Community College Foundation, providing tuition, fees, and books for students in the Building Construction Technology program. Partnering with colleges on programs like this is a win-win because it attracts and trains ideal workers.
Pay well
Make sure you pay a competitive income in compared to other industries, especially for entry-level jobs. This allows you to lure potential craftsmen away from other career tracks. We also find that more and more younger candidates want to be able to work on short term projects or at their own schedule, so it helps to offer flexible job opportunities as well.
Utilize the Madden Apprenticeship Program
The Madden Apprenticeship Program is the first-ever registered apprenticeship program managed by a staffing agency, that allows you to hire workers while they learn on the job. This program is another partnership with PCC, matching their educational curriculum with our clients’ demand for good workers in the market. This means small businesses don’t have to run and implement an apprenticeship program completely on their own. You can simply hire workers from the program when you need them.
When more workers are attracted to the trade, more businesses like yours will flourish! Let’s work together as part of the solution to narrow the labor gap. Call Madden today, we can help you find talent and answer any questions about our apprenticeship program, and other resources you need to build a thriving business.
