TIMES HAVE CHANGED 

Secular education (college) was once promoted as the only path to success.  And the notion that continuing education would lead to a “comfortable” job with no manual labor has been widely accepted for generations.

Now, with a generation of the most educated workforce in the history of the world, the construction industry faces a skills gap, with fewer and fewer people studying the crafts that require physical effort and creativity.

Fewer people are choosing to study craft skills and, unfortunately, fewer people want to teach it as well.  It costs a Master Tradesman 10x your hourly pay in lost production to stop and teach a new person which makes training one of the biggest hindrances to hiring.

To make matters worse THERE IS NO DEFINED CAREER PATH IN OUR INDUSTRY which makes it a problem for even motivated people to navigate successfully.

INTRO TO CONSTRUCTION 

We believe there can be a place for everyone in our field.  Artistic?  Analytical? Athletic?  There are careers in the construction industry to fit almost every inclination.

While art might not have been considered a “real” class on your report card, everything we produce is a collective work of art. Some who excelled in academics often find construction work rewarding in a way that academic success could never quite match .  People who can’t sit down in class are often the ones with the energy we need.  People who don’t test well often possess the creativity we value.  Athletes with abilities that didn’t apply outside of school can often apply them in a trade.  

The Intro to Construction class taught by Masters Guild Members is meant to give an overview of the big picture that is Construction. As a Guild, our members serve to help willing and capable individuals find a place in the construction community. Our Members teach recruits the Values, Attitude and the Learning Systems and skills needed to be successful.  Recruits also learn some basic math, measuring, and cross-trade techniques from the pros who put them into practice every day.

OUR VALUES

The members have found that IF A PERSON LEARNS  A TECHNICAL SKILL BUT DOES NOT HAVE OUR VALUES WE CANNOT KEEP THEM AS EMPLOYEES.  85% of people who lose their job do so as a result of poor work ethic – 68% of customers who don’t come back do so because of the poor attitude of an employee.  

It all starts with attitude, so it’s important to know the set of Values that are shared by all successful members of the construction community.  

• Time is Valuable
  • Be on Time / Communicate Delays
  • Stay off of cell phone during active working hours
  • Have your Supplies Ready and with you every day
• Think it Through
  • Use respectful speech 
  • Be aware of your surroundings
  • Be mindful of the chain of communication
• Pride Pays
  • Keep a clean workspace
  • Show up clean and professional – tucked in shirts with belts
  • Recognize, address and correct your mistakes as soon as possible

Every employer member of Masters Guild prizes these values in a team member.  Skills can be developed over time but values are what guide behaviors and conduct; so an individual without the right values will often not last long enough to develop the skill!

#MORETHANHARDWORK 

The lack of skilled construction labor is a key limiting factor to meeting the demands of home construction and improving housing affordability. Housing was a bright spot for the economy during the second half of 2020, as construction activity helped lead an economic rebound. However, sales outpaced home construction, resulting in growing backlog and supply-chain bottlenecks. 

For construction to expand any further, more workers must be recruited and trained for the sector. Correcting the downward trend of workforce growth in the construction trades will demand coordination between all levels and categories of our industry sector, but the payoff is too great to ignore.  A highly skilled workforce will improve our industry, our economy, our communities, and the quality of life for the people who serve in the trades.  

For this expansion to successfully improve our industry and economy, the new skilled workforce must be set up for success as individuals.  This means simultaneously supporting personal growth of those who are willing and capable and giving them the opportunity to develop their unique set of skills into a career path.  Masters Guild supports cross-training and cross-employment – techniques that support multi-trade cooperation and promote personal growth.

The opportunity to succeed is endless for those with the right attitude, the right values, and the willingness to commit to a career path that is truly #morethanhardwork.