Will We Know How to Build in 20 Years?

October 28, 2024

Are we really prepared for our knowledge holders to retire?

For the past several years I have been giving presentations and discussing the issue our industry faces related to our aging workforce. For the last two years I have been asked to present this topic at Autodesk University (AU); first in a longer discussion format, and this year as a short "TED Style" talk in the AU Theater. It's an interesting issue because not everyone agrees that it is actually a problem.

My interest in this topic was sparked by comments made by Mike Rowe, known by many for his show Dirty Jobs. He also runs a foundation called MikeRoweWorks that advocates for a return to the normalization of skilled trades and apprenticeship as a valued path to a lifelong career. He has also been talking about what he describes as a serious problem for America, with over 7 million middle aged men having recently checked out of the workforce.

When this is coupled with another published statistic that says that 40% of the current workforce in #construction will retire in the next decade, this all points to a serious concern in the construction industry, and it's not just about a labor shortage. It's much more than that. It's a knowledge shortage. Those middle-aged men that Mike Rowe talks about being checked out are the demographic that currently holds the knowledge about how to get structures built. The rest of the knowledge lies in large part with the 40% that are heading towards retirement.

After decades spent in the construction industry, I have learned that there is some knowledge that just can't be taught in a classroom (ironic, I know, for someone who now teaches for a living). Yes, we can teach the skills, be it construction trades or construction management, but we cannot teach some of the intuition and knowledge that only comes from years of experience, because the decision-making process on our job sites is often too complex. Decisions on things like where to start and how to sequence trades have too many project-specific variables that occur in unpredictable combinations to put together any sort of "playbook" that can easily be taught to others.

This means that it is vital for us to capture and transfer that knowledge before the people who hold it retire. If the statistics and reporting hold true, that means we only have about 10 years to figure out how to do that. As alarming as this is, I believe it also presents a unique opportunity.

We are at interesting juncture in the construction industry. We are exploring technology solutions more than we ever have. We are attracting more women, and more young people are finally starting to take notice of our industry. I see it when I go to conferences, and I see it when I talk to clients. These are good things because it brings innovation to an industry in which productivity has remained largely stagnant for decades.

If we can leverage this, we have the opportunity to make real progress in improving an industry that has a huge economic impact throughout the world. However, if we make the mistake of letting our existing workforce retire without transferring their lessons learned to our incoming workforce, we will face another 20+ years of stagnant productivity.

When I started in the industry, this transfer of knowledge happened through mentorships. In most cases, these mentorships formed organically. That is not happening anymore. Blame it on a generation gap. Blame it on grumpy middle-aged men that don't want to share. Blame it on technology. Blame it on anything you want. The fact is the reason just doesn't matter. What matters is that we take action right now to change the status quo.

The answer lies with formal mentorship programs. The concept of knowledge transfer through mentorship is still valid. It's just not working because the mentor-mentee relationships aren't happening anymore. We can fix this by establishing formal mentorship programs within our organizations.

The interesting opportunity I mentioned earlier relates to the fact that we can leverage these mentorship programs a little differently than we have in the past where the relationship consisted mainly of a one-way transfer of knowledge. Today, we have the older generation that holds the keys to the knowledge about how to build. But they did not grow up integrating technology into their everyday lives like the younger generation has. This makes them much more resistant to trying new things and incorporating solutions that may be able to improve our industry. While the younger generation is learning from their older mentors, they can use the opportunity to show how and why they use technology in their everyday lives.

If we can start pushing this two-way transfer of knowledge, we have the opportunity begin to transform the industry at a more rapid pace while learning from the experiences of the past. If we do nothing, we risk losing the knowledge that comes with that experience and risk staying as stagnant as we have for decades.

Take Aways

The takeaway in this issue of Thoughts from the Field is a simple call to action...

Start mentorship programs in your organization today!

Start by identifying the people in your organization that can be the "mentors". Talk to them and get their buy-in. Emphasize the fact that you need their help to guide decisions on things like technology. Explain that their help is essential because they are the ones that understand the actual problems that need to be solved.

Pair them with one more mentees and create ways to facilitate discussions and foster true mentorship. Remember that not all personalities will mesh, and you may have to make changes as you go, but also remember that the important thing is to just get started.

Additional Discussions on Mentorship

Over at The Construction Collaborative, we are working to create a community of construction professionals that work together to benefit the industry while improving their work environment and their overall lives. The community is just getting up and running, but you can join for free and participate in discussions, start your own discussions, and read dozens of articles. If you want more, you can join as a member to get unlimited site access to courses and videos.

We will "officially" launch soon with a Core Series of courses that discusses the topics we think are key to improving our industry. Mentorship is one of those Core topics, and for a limited time you can watch the course for free by clicking on the link below:

Additional Resources for Construction Management Professionals

If you are on LinkedIn Learning and haven't seen the new professional certificate programs that are being offered, you should go take a look! This page lists all the professional certificate offerings (with new programs in the works), along with cert prep exams and continuing education partnerships. Many of our construction management courses are accredited for CEU's by the Project Management Institute. I am excited to announce that one of the latest offerings on LinkedIn Learning is the Construction Management Professional Certificate, sponsored by LinkedIn and Procore Technologies. Earn the certificate by completing 9 courses and passing a final exam. If you have been watching my courses on LinkedIn Learning, you may already have some of these requirements completed! Check it out by clicking on the image below.

Here are some additional ways to access more tips and advice for professionals in the #aec industries (#Architecture, #Engineering, #Construction):

1. Visit The Construction Collaborative at www.cmsocial.net to find ideas, tips and tricks, video tutorials, and to help form a community of construction professionals sharing ideas and solutions.
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