Careers in Construction Month: Building What Lasts Begins with Intent

Every October, our industry takes a moment to recognize Careers in Construction Month. It’s more than a celebration—it’s a mirror. Because for all the growth and innovation shaping our field, one truth has lingered for decades: we’ve failed to build a consistent, sustainable pipeline of people entering construction.

We’ve seen this coming. Generations of skilled professionals are retiring. Vocational programs have withered. And too many young people have been told—wrongly—that working in construction means you didn’t have other options.

Now, as America faces a historic surge in demand for construction, the timing couldn’t be worse.

Across the country, projects are booming: data centers, semiconductor plants, battery factories, energy infrastructure, and renewable facilities. According to the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), our industry will need more than 500,000 additional workers in 2025 just to meet demand. The AGC of America reports that 92% of contractors are struggling to fill hourly craft roles, and nearly half cite workforce shortages as the top cause of project delays.

That’s not just a shortage—it’s a warning flare.

As Mike Rowe has said, “Our society has fallen out of love with the skilled trades. The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.” For years, he’s challenged the cultural bias that devalues hard work done with skill, pride, and calloused hands. “Work ethic is important,” he reminds us, “because unlike intelligence or charisma—it’s a choice.”

It’s time we started choosing differently.

Even the leaders of the technology world are echoing that call. Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA—the company driving much of the AI revolution—recently said:

“If you’re an electrician, a plumber, a carpenter—we’re going to need hundreds of thousands of them to build all of these factories.”

Think about that. One of the most powerful voices in technology is telling us that the next frontier of innovation depends on skilled tradespeople. The future of AI, energy, and data runs through the hands of builders, welders, pipefitters, and electricians.

This isn’t a blue-collar versus white-collar moment—it’s a new-collar era. Technology and craftsmanship are converging. Today’s construction sites are digital command centers. Drones, 3D scanning, AI-driven modeling, and predictive analytics are changing how we design, plan, and execute. That evolution creates an opportunity—a different kind of career story to tell.

We can’t just post “we’re hiring” and hope the next generation finds us. We have to invite them in.

That starts early:

• Middle schools are where curiosity is born—where kids learn that math and problem-solving can literally build bridges.
• High schools and trade schools are where we can show real career paths—not fallback plans.
• Alternative pathways through programs for women, veterans, and individuals re-entering from corrections systems can bring new energy and purpose to our workforce.

But outreach only matters if it’s consistent and intentional. We have to build real partnerships—with NCCER, ABC, AGC, and our labor union partners—to modernize curricula, align credentials, and connect classrooms with careers.

Meanwhile, something else is happening: artificial intelligence and automation are changing the job landscape in real-time. A new index from Indeed shows that jobs requiring physical execution and human-to-human dexterity—like trades and construction—are among the least likely to be transformed by generative AI. “Childcare, nursing, and construction are the least likely to be transformed by GenAI.” Business Insider A related article from the World Economic Forum points out: “Construction might be the most AI-proof industry out there… because projects are so variable, documentation is inconsistent, and the work is deeply physical.” World Economic Forum

When other industries face large-scale disruption from AI—office work, customer service, and other roles—the trades are a comparatively stable foundation. A career path where physical skill, judgment, and human presence matter. A world where tables get flipped: those worried about being replaced might find their future in building.

In short: while many roles in white-collar, data-rich environments face existential pressure, the trades are standing in a kind of safe harbor. That means our challenge isn’t just workforce supply—it’s opportunity. It means we can reach out to people in industries where AI threatens jobs—and say: “There’s a path here. A real, lasting career.”

We also can’t forget the people already wearing our logos. They’re not just employees—they’re carriers of culture and knowledge. When they retire, decades of wisdom risk disappearing unless we have systems for knowledge transfer, mentorship, and professional development. Thinks about investing in our employees to develop their AI skills or understand sustainability.

Investing in training isn’t a cost—it’s an insurance policy on your company’s future.

Retention is recruitment. A well-led company that grows its people keeps its people. And those people become your best recruiters.

As leaders, this can’t be treated as a side project or a PR campaign. Workforce development, building a talent pipeline and growing our people must be a strategic priority—with a defined strategy, measurable goals, accountable owners, and leadership support. It should sit alongside safety, profitability, and client satisfaction as a top-line metric.

If we’re serious about Building What Lasts, it has to start with people.

Because this moment—this era of AI, energy transformation, and reindustrialization—is unlike anything we’ve seen in our lifetimes. America is building again. The question is: will we have the builders?

The answer depends on what we do right now—how we show up in schools, at job fairs, and within our own companies. How we tell our story. How we make the trades not just viable, but visible. Imagine construction as the preferred career path.

We have the power to build data centers that drive the digital economy. We have the power to strengthen the grid, modernize our factories, and lead the next industrial revolution. We have the power to shape communities that endure.

We have the power to build. More importantly, we have the power to Build What Lasts.

And that begins with intent.