3 things third graders taught me about construction

We’ve all spoken in front of many types of crowds. On a sunny October day, I faced a particularly tough crowd with some insightful questions: a classroom of third graders.

In my role as CEO of a large commercial general contractor, there are certain accepted long-standing challenges in our industry. One of these is the skilled labor shortage. While DPR Construction is fortunate to have nearly 5,500 employees in the skilled trades, we know, industrywide, more workers are retiring than coming in. This is an existential issue for our industry.

I visited the classroom to share with kids the possibilities open to them in the construction industry. What I learned from them made a big impact on me. Following are the three things third graders taught me about construction:

1. Keep the excitement going: Many of the third graders I spoke with were excited about construction but didn’t know much about career paths within the industry. As one child piped up, “Construction?! That’s so cool!” But something happens between third grade and the time they’re seniors graduating from high school. How do we keep that sense of excitement about construction and building as future generations grow up?

There are many influences at play. In a recent McKinsey report, “Tradespeople wanted: The need for critical trade skills in the U.S.” a survey of 1,000 18- to 20-year-olds found that 74% of them felt there was a negative perception around choosing a trade school over a traditional four-year college program. Those same respondents—79% of them—indicated that their parents wanted them to go to college, while just 5% said the same about a trade school.

How do we change perceptions and emphasize the exciting aspects of construction careers? We can work on it through education and mentorship, and through continued advancement in the industry. When we as an industry work within our communities to provide real-world examples of the great things that can be accomplished, we show future generations that construction is a worthwhile, exciting, and rewarding career path filled with opportunities. For example, how many kids realize that cutting edge technology like robotics and virtual reality are now a part of many construction projects? How many know the salaries of roles from the skilled trades to project management? As construction advances, new career paths open up, and the possibilities to build a career in construction are endless.

2. Cultivate connection: At the heart of every building is teamwork, a shared vision. The kids underscored for me how important teams are in everything we do. In the classroom that October day, we handed out measuring tapes to the kids and small pieces of two-by-fours and explained the process of measuring to them. They split into teams and naturally built great camaraderie, without competition. Kids started measuring everything around the room, helping one another and getting inspiration from other teams. They were excited to do something tactile and accomplished much more together than they could have done alone.

That sense of connection and accomplishment is key to nurturing belonging and the feeling that they are part of something larger than themselves. Belonging is a basic human need: It exists when we feel valued, accepted, and encouraged to participate fully. When we show future generations that we as an industry are committed to cultivating and nurturing a sense of belonging, they in turn can see themselves in that profession.  

Cultivating belonging is one of the reasons that we and our industry partners established Construction Inclusion Week (CIW), because we know that changing an industry takes conscious, collaborative work, and deep commitment. It’s that demonstrated commitment that has helped inspire our industry to join together every October to focus on boosting workplace culture and taking action to drive change. In 2023, the third annual CIW grew to more than 5,000 U.S. contractors and affiliate firms. 

Some perceptions in our industry are challenging. One of these is around the lack of flexible work hours. The previously mentioned McKinsey report found that when deciding to stay in a job, Gen Z and millennials prioritize workplace flexibility. The on-site and highly structured nature of typical construction jobs often doesn’t speak to these preferences.

3. Shine a light on industry issues: Many kids do have direct knowledge of the construction industry. Several excited kids were eager to share that their parent or family member worked in construction and had built buildings nearby. They proudly shared that those parents and family work very hard at what they do. These kids’ direct experiences have formed powerful associations that build their perception of the industry.

When we talk about shining a light on industry issues, this is one of them. Those Gen Z and millennial individuals are the aunts, uncles, parents, and other family members that kids interact with. How can we change the experience to take care of people in our industry and inspire future generations? One consideration is more flexible work hours. When we allow for a flexible start time or end time or other options on a given workday, we are giving people the space they need to grow and thrive. It’s a long-standing issue that will take time to make headway, but it’s something we can all strive for.

Another aspect of changing the generational experience involves improved benefits, such as paid time off. Tackling this issue takes industrywide attention and cooperation. More importantly, it takes a different mindset. Last year, we rolled out robust benefits for our craft employees, which have helped move the needle for expectations in our industry. This includes things like paid time off, holiday pay, educational assistance, and family planning assistance. We need more than this to be successful as an industry, but it’s a step in the right direction.

Lesson learned

At DPR, events like what I’ve described are part of a larger focus on communities. In 2024 thus far, employees have participated in 48 events and engaged with over 26,000 under-resourced youths. These events include classroom time, career fairs, hands-on activities in our own warehouses, activities in schools and clubs, and mentorships. Events are ongoing, with more planned during Construction Inclusion Week this year, October 14-18. DPR’s programming each year culminates in the Build Up High School Internship, which gives students the opportunity to build the skill sets needed to pursue a career in the construction industry.

Community involvement is a simple approach that other industries experiencing long-term labor shortages, such as manufacturing, might want to consider. Not only does it inspire kids about the opportunities available to them as they grow older, but it also has the power to shine a light on the industry issues that need changing. Younger generations can teach us a lot, if we’re willing to go out into our communities and learn.

George Pfeffer is CEO of DPR Construction.