MAKE WORK COOL AGAIN
Laurie Cowin, Window+Door, Glass Build America | Published on 4/22/2021
Although the coronavirus is indelibly shaping the industry, the events of late aren’t hyper-focused on how to deal with the pandemic anymore. Rather, the industry appears to be evolving to a space where we can resume business and conversations as normal, addressing COVID only when it directly affects a given area.
Labor is one such example. Although the skilled labor shortage is a long-discussed topic, it’s a conversation happening with renewed vigor, particularly as companies are experiencing record-high business and feeling the labor shortage more acutely as they struggle to keep up with demand.
One of the biggest things we can do to close the skills gap, he (Mike Rowe) purports, is creatively and persuasively tell stories of success around the trades to change the messaging and attitude around work. “The challenge is to make work cool again and get rid of language that describes the four-year degree as higher education and everything else as alternative. If a kid is unaware of opportunities, they’ll never see what’s possible and therefore not consider it,” he says.
“If we do a better job presenting examples of men and women who are prospering today as a direct result of mastering the skill, sooner or later that will become overwhelming."
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