Inspiring the builders of tomorrow
Plenty of people bemoan the lack of labor in the trades, but not many are doing something about it. That sentiment can’t be said about Pam Stott, executive director of the Northeast Construction Trades Workforce Coalition (NCTWC) and fellow co-founder, Doug Ford, VP at Curtis Lumber. The 501c6 organization was formed late in 2023 but began as just a task force about seven years ago. The group arose from ongoing discussions held at Saratoga Builders Association meetings that always seemed to center on the biggest, most persistent issue each member faced: “How can we get more workers?”
But where to begin? Stott started contacting every school in Saratoga County to understand why students might not be considering a career in the trades. Rather than being put out, “The schools welcomed us with open arms,” says Stott. This feedback from the schools crystallized the task force’s vision “to encourage young people and adults to consider a career in the construction industry by bringing awareness to the benefits associated with it.”
Getting teachers, principals and counselors on board was a huge first step, but the reaction of the students has helped spur the organization’s momentum even more. “You get passion when you connect with something personally. Working with kids directly is what ignited my passion, as I didn’t have awareness about opportunities in the trades when I was going to school,” Stott says. Bringing that awareness to students helped solidify the group’s mission and codify the work that led to the creation of the NCTWC.
“We need to reach the students about the trades. They don’t understand the options and opportunities available,” says Stott, who notes that the construction industry still has its work cut out to promote itself to younger generations and to reverse outdated stigmas (too physical, poor pay, unsafe, long workdays, etc.).
The trades are also being outhustled and outmuscled by other industries in terms of school presence, PR and promotion. “It’s an industry issue. The armed forces, other industries and colleges recruit in the schools, but the trades do not promote themselves.”
Educating parents, many of whom still may hold outdated views of the kinds of opportunities available in construction, remains challenging though Stott says she’s seeing change even on that front. However, it helps to reach people while they’re young.
The NCTWC’s outreach begins in the second grade and goes through high school. The organization’s “toolbox assembly” program, which gives second through fifth graders the chance to make their own toolbox under the guidance of an NCTWC member, has been a huge success. Beyond learning how to make their own toolbox with basic tools, and getting to take home a tape measure and tiny toolbelt, the session leader educates the kids about construction basics, which might involve discussing who built the school’s roof or who installed the toilets. “They’re so engaged in the toolbox program. Afterward, many kids tell their parents they want some wood to make something else on their own,” Stott says. The program has doubled in the last two years, and NCTWC now works with over 40 schools to spread the word about career options available in the trades.
Colleges are now approaching the NCTWC, which touches on another misconception Stott is keen to dispel. “You can get to the trades through college,” explaining that it’s not a one-or-the other proposition. As Stott observes, there’s still that societal pressure to attend college, “just because that’s what you’re ‘supposed to do,’ ” but it’s not for everyone. “Kids are just expected to attend college and eventually figure it out.” But now with soaring tuition rates and the uncertainty of finding work, even with an advanced degree, the trades are increasingly attractive. “Even if they don’t go the trades route, we’re empowering them with knowledge of their options and what’s possible.”
Sure, working in the trades can be backbreaking labor, hammers and nails. “It’s also science, tech, math, creativity, design and all of those things,” Stott says. Not to mention competitive pay and benefits and more job security than perhaps most people are used to.
“The trades have advanced, and that’s part of our message. There’s also estimating, project management and other jobs that are more in the background but are also part of the trades. We’re there to make kids aware of their options,” Stott says. At the very least, it’s a great way to discover new jobs and fields people didn’t even know existed.
On-the-job experience
NCTWC’s work also offers job shadowing, tours of local businesses and construction site visits. Students see firsthand how work gets done on-site and the opportunity to ask questions. The group also strives to connect specific jobs and job functions with what kids are learning in school to demonstrate that science, math and tech are practical and relevant for careers, Stott says. The group also pairs students with younger workers who may be able to connect more easily and enthusiastically.
The NCTWC also recently hosted a hugely successful one-week construction camp for girls, which was designed to inspire a new generation of builders and help knock down the formidable gender barriers that exist in the construction industry. The camp, which was put on in conjunction with Whitbeck Construction and WSWHE BOCES, empowered the 22 girls who attended with basic construction tips and techniques, as well as career guidance. “The parents gave rave reviews,” says Stott.
“This isn’t a gender-specific type of role, and I think the more that we introduce them to it, the more it empowers them and the more it encourages them to get involved,” said Matt Whitbeck, a construction company owner and building science educator who Stott says was integral in making the event such a resonant success. “One of the things that we teach is that whether you get into construction or not, likely one of the most expensive things you’ll own in your life will be your home, and you should know how to work on that,” Whitbeck explains.
The NCTWC does have plans for growth. However, Stott says the group is in no big rush. “We do have a vision to go beyond where we are in New York. But we’re very mindful of not growing too fast, too far and doing it the right way.”
Still, good ideas can’t help but spread. Stott shares that a builder from Washington state was so inspired by the elementary school toolbox program, he started his own.
Getting more kids interested in trades
Ultimately, it’s all about awareness and overcoming misconceptions about the trades, Stott says. “Parents are often the biggest obstacle due to outdated views of what the trades entail today, so again, awareness is key. It’s long been the thinking that to be successful in America you have to have a college degree. There are many pathways to get into the trades, and college is one of them, but you do not have to have a college degree to be successful in the trades.”
Companies also have a huge opportunity to help shift the paradigm—especially in terms of recruiting more women into the workforce and honestly evaluating shortcomings. “Companies should ask: Why aren’t we reaching out to women? We have to change our mindsets, and companies need to do different things to get different results.”
While there’s no silver bullet to fixing the labor gap, reaching and teaching kids about the multitudes of opportunities that abound in the trades seems like a smart place to start.
