The Electrician's Guide to Careers in Construction Month


October is Careers in Construction Month, a yearly promotion led by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The event is meant to spread awareness about construction trades, including electricians — a worthwhile effort, given this age of labor shortages in the construction trades. So how can construction electricians participate in this industry event?

Here are just a few ideas for electrical contractors who work in construction to help them inspire the next generation of tradesfolk who build the electrical systems that power our homes and businesses: The-Electricians-Guide-to-Careers-in-Construction-Month

  • Open your job site to students and others interested in the construction field.

    Reach out to your local Job Corps centers, apprenticeship institutions, trade schools, and high schools. Create an event around a typical working day, inviting interested students to see up close what construction electricians do during their shifts.

  • Invite students to shadow workers during on the job.

    Opening the job site is a great way to introduce career-minded people to construction trades, but you can also take the outreach a step further with a work-shadow event. Assign each employee a student for the day; this will give visitors hands-on experience of what they can expect on a day-to-day basis if they choose a career in electrical installation.

  • Host a resume-building event for area students of the construction trades.

    People who are preparing to enter the electrical field will need to know what employers look for in a resume. Electrical contractors can help immensely by inviting visitors to a resume workshop. Explain what you look for when you're hiring; if your firm has a human resources department, bring in your HR professionals to help with the training.

  • Take advantage of the resources available at the NAHB website.

    The National Association of Home Builders offers a comprehensive set of resources in their Careers in Construction Month Toolkit, to which this post is indebted. Find sample activities, customizable articles, and ready-to-print promotional materials to help raise awareness about Careers in Construction Month in your community. There's even a guide to starting a local NAHB Student Chapter for those who wish to extend their commitments beyond October. Find all of these resources at the NAHB website here.

Labor shortages remain a problem for electrical contractors. Since 2010, skilled building trades have held the No. 1 spot for job vacancies across the country. That's a problem for consumers, who can't find an electrician when they need one. It's also a problem for electrical contractors, who lack the labor pool they require to grow.

During Careers in Construction Month, NAHB invites electricians and others construction contractors to help inspire the next generation of building professionals, and they encourage everyone in the field to participate.

References:

"Careers in Construction Month Toolkit." NAHB. National Association of Home Builders, n.d. Web. 23 Aug. 2018.

Richardson, Brenda. "Labor shortage is creating challenges to finding qualified contractors for home repairs." WashingtonPost. The Washington Post, 19 Apr. 2018. Web. 23 Aug. 2018.