The Schloegel Design Remodel team had a booth at NARI’s Career Fair hosted by Metropolitan Community College’s Career Center last week. It was a great opportunity for people interested in a career in the construction industry to talk to local professionals. It was also an opportune time for our team to visit with prospective apprentices and craftsmen. 41 KSHB caught up with our own Chris Peterson at the fair to discuss the labor shortage and how it has impacted Schloegel.
Shortage of Labor in the Construction Industry
The housing recession hit the construction industry hard and it has had a lasting impact. Many skilled laborers left the industry when there wasn’t enough work and they have not returned. On the flip side younger workers have been hesitant to start a career in the industry. They saw the impact the recession had and many aren’t familiar with the industry.
Apprentice Program
One approach Schloegel has implemented to combat the shortage is our Apprentice Program. Schloegel introduced the Apprenticeship Program in 2017. It’s a wonderful opportunity to teach potential craftsman the benefits of the industry and show them that a career in remodeling can provide a future with hope and possibilities. And while the program has been very successful Chris and the Production Team are constantly working to grow and improve the program and that requires getting out in the public.
Sharing the Message
Chris tries to get to as many of technical career fairs as he’s able to. “It’s a great opportunity to get out there and share about the industry and its benefits. It’s an added bonus if we are able to get a few folks interested in pursuing a position at Schloegel.”
At this particular fair, we had 6 of our team members, Kirk Thomas, Doug Drury, Billy Andrews, Andy Gower as well as Chris covering two shifts. The guys were able to demonstrate some actual work rather than just talking and handing out fliers. They hung and finished drywall as well as finishing work including installing crown molding. The morning session was geared towards students and nearly 150 were bused in from several of the area’s vocational schools. Attendees in the afternoon were looking to find new opportunities or start new within the industry.
The fair was a success! The Schloegel team was able to talk to many prospective apprentices and craftsman and finish their demo!
We’re constantly on the lookout for new talent both on our Craftsmen team and in our Apprentice Program. Learn more about opportunities at Schloegel.
[code-snippet name=”disable-blog-feature-image”]