Who’s Going to Build It?
Imagine for a moment, you’re an architect or an engineer meticulously drafting your grand design. You have an insatiable desire to see your plan become something real, something tangible but you’re stymied; there are simply no individuals possessing the skills needed to build it. There are no welders, no carpenters, no plumbers, electricians, masons or specialists of any kind. There are no tradespeople, so now what?
The Skills Gap
Although this isn’t a reality, it’s not far removed from the difficulty we do face now to find individuals with these skills. The problem isn’t exclusive to architects and engineers either, finding qualified plumbers or electricians to help with problems in your home can be time consuming, expensive or both.
For years, we’ve encouraged young people to pursue careers that come dressed in a suit, pushing costly college-level education as the only pathway to success. Meanwhile, trade skills continue to be stigmatized. It’s an easy dichotomy to understand, after all why choose a career steeped in manual, backbreaking labor, when a temperature controlled, high-rise corner office overlooking the city is a possibility? There are merits to this way of thinking but beyond this immediate contrast, many of the arguments against skilled trades quickly fall apart. Wages are comparable if not better in the trades, career pathways are plentiful and varied and the technology in the trades are rapidly advancing and not nearly as antiquated as one might be led to believe. Becoming certified in a trade incurs little to no financial debt and lastly, the jobs themselves can be grueling but many of the people involved in them have reported them to be highly fulfilling.
A study conducted by Stanley Black & Decker during August to September 2021, found that, among 801 high school sophomores, juniors and seniors interviewed, 85% of them saw trades as a good career choice, however, only 16% were very likely to consider it for themselves. According to the results of the study, two major inhibiting factors seem to be a lack of general education about trade skills, particularly in their ability to provide financial stability and the overall level of job satisfaction. This isn’t entirely surprising as for years, college level education and white collar careers have been touted as being superior to the trades and vocational careers have become labeled as “dirty work”. Young people are constantly dissuaded by the notion that vocational careers are laborious and not nearly as lucrative as careers that require an undergraduate degree. The truth of the matter is though, that trade careers are entirely capable of providing a high quality of life and an equally high degree of job satisfaction.
This push towards college and pull away from trade skills has led to a widening chasm between jobs that require these skills and the individuals capable of filling them. This chasm is what has become known as the skills trade gap and it is a very serious, very real problem. Skilled trades are a major contributor to the backbone of any society and if this problem isn’t addressed, the ramifications will be far reaching and highly detrimental. As an example, in the US alone, as of 2022 there are an estimated 650,000 unfilled jobs in the construction industry, according to Stanley Black & Decker’s CEO Jim Loree. Can you imagine then, a society where there are fewer and fewer people available, capable of building the structure you’re sitting in, reading this post?
The Outlook
No one can predict with absolute certainty what the outcome of the growing skills gap will be. However, we’re already seeing and feeling its impact. Construction, manufacturing and even hiring service technicians and contractors are all becoming increasingly more costly. As the current workforce continues to age out with no real plans for succession, measures will have to be taken to ensure the fundamental services they provide are able to continue functioning.
Technology has been one of the first areas evolving to help compensate. Manufacturing has always been a good example of this. Manufacturers have always been on the forefront of integrating sophisticated technological components into their workflow, contrary to the belief that most manufacturing operations are still antiquated. You’d be forgiven for thinking that automated production using complex software and machines would render a diminished workforce a moot point but now, who has the skills to operate and keep these systems running efficiently? These types of systems are not infallible, they still require repair, preventative maintenance and even manual operators from time to time. So yes, the workforce may have been reduced, but skilled technicians and operators are still necessary and now, their knowledge and abilities are even more specialized.
Finding alternative routes to address the growing skills gap is a natural response to the problem. However, while it reduces the need for a large workforce, it narrows the scope in which the workforce needs to be trained, leading to more and more specialized, almost niche, skillsets. The problem still remains however, as to how do we get people more interested in wanting to learn these skills. The issue has almost never been with the type of skills needed but more so the attitude towards learning these skills in the first place. This is why employers and organizations are still scrambling and eager to get younger people interested in learning about the skilled trades. Alternative measures are simply treating the symptoms, not the underlying cause.
While there are many large entities with the necessary clout and capital for large scale training and outreach programs, there still seems to be a disconnect with the audiences they’re trying to reach. Younger generations now have shifted their thinking and tend to view their futures holistically, inextricably tying together financial stability and overall sense of fulfillment, with the latter often holding greater importance. They need, therefore, to be approached in ways that can demonstrably define pathways highlighting both of these ambitions. They need to be shown that college debt isn’t necessary to become a high earner nor is it a requirement to advance your career and secure a high level of satisfaction. They need to see that even choosing this career path, their futures remain open and diversified.
The fluid power industry’s two major bodies — the National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) and the International Fluid Power Society (IFPS), for example, have put forward their own efforts in line with this way of thinking. The IFPS has always offered easy pathways to become certified in the field of fluid power by providing access to the materials needed and certification testing. They also consistently host courses, workshops and seminars purely for the purpose of helping to train individuals in the field of fluid power. The NFPA on the other hand, is affiliated with the NFPA Education and Technology Foundation, whose sole responsibility is to meet the development needs of the fluid power workforce. They provide resources to encourage young people toward careers in fluid power.
Together, these bodies have put forward a gargantuan effort to push the benefits of the skills needed within their own niche. More and more, we need to see these types of governing organizations take ownership of not just providing a space for their own members, but to encourage the development of those who may one day become members themselves.
The Other Side of the Coin
Many employers are holdovers from a generation whose ideologies that tend to contradict those of current generations. There is no denying that some employers (often times large scale employers) , have instituted practices and working environments that have left their workers disgruntled and bitter. It is not the case for every employer, of course, but when instances like this do arise, they tend to get noticed and noticed pretty widely. We’ve seen an outcome of this with the recent fervor for unionization. Again, it’s no surprise that this is happening because there is still a major disconnect between those with skills and the organizations that need them.
Employers need to invest the time in not just educating their workforce, but themselves on how the concept of work is now viewed. It is almost trite to say that times have changed but nonetheless relevant. The way we work and the way we perceive work grows and changes constantly. Older, more established organizations cannot adhere to practices that do not change with a changing workforce and expect it to not reduce.
Change
The need for change is undoubtedly present and becoming more noticeable. But change happens slowly and is rarely ever simple, neat or straightforward.
Our architects, engineers, writers, artists, travelers and visionaries need this change to happen. Yes, their dreams need to be built, but we also need those who dream of building. We need to devote our efforts to help shift the perspective of trade skills and remove the stigma surrounding them. There is no need to hide the reality that some trades do require significant effort, but if we can demonstrate the substantial payoff for this effort, perhaps we can begin to see the renewed interest that is so desperately needed. Younger generations need to be shown how trade skills are the hallmark of true craftspeople. They need to have the advantages of learning these crafts highlighted to them in ways that they can connect with on a personal level.
Trade skills and the ability to work with one’s hands were once considered the realm of the artisan. With trends and nature being as cyclical as they are, perhaps it’s time for that cycle to begin again.