Construction Workforce

Why the Trades Need a Cultural Reset to Attract and Retain the Next Generation

The skilled trades are at a critical crossroads. According to an August 2025 report from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR), the number of women working in construction and extraction occupations rose to 366,360 in 2024, the highest level ever recorded. Yet despite that growth, women still account for only about 4.3% of construction…

From Hands-On to High-Tech: How Innovation Is Transforming the Next Generation of Trades Talent

The skilled trades are facing a turning point. With a rapidly retiring workforce and an ever-growing demand for infrastructure, HVAC, and electrical expertise, the U.S. is experiencing a talent gap that’s becoming impossible to ignore. Looking ahead to 2026, industry analysts anticipate the construction sector will need to recruit nearly half a million new workers,…

Inclusion Beyond Compliance: What It Really Takes to Build Workplace Cultures Where People Feel Seen, Supported, and Free to Belong

Inclusion is often reduced to policies and checklists, but its true measure shows up in everyday experiences — in whether people feel seen, supported, and able to contribute without hiding parts of who they are. When organizations move beyond compliance and toward genuine understanding, they open the door to talent, perspective, and potential that…

People-Centric HR in Practice: How Jen Schomer Turns Organizational Chaos into a Culture of Trust and Performance

In today’s whiplash workplace—where startups scale fast, funding dries up faster, and employee expectations keep evolving—HR isn’t a back-office function anymore. The rise of fractional leadership, remote teams, and constant regulatory change has forced companies to rethink how they support people while still hitting business goals. Leaders are realizing that “culture issues” often trace…

The Power of Reinvention: How Debbie Crouse Crafted a Career Across Industries

As the modern workforce continues to evolve, conversations around balance, fulfillment, and flexibility are taking center stage. With hybrid work redefining expectations and career paths becoming less linear, professionals are asking deeper questions about what “success” really means. According to Gallup’s latest data, only 31% of U.S. employees were engaged at work in…

The Secret to Smarter Hiring: Tapping Fractional Executives for the Right Expertise, Right When You Need It

The rise of the “fractional” executive—leaders who lend their expertise to multiple organizations on a part-time or project basis—marks a major shift in how top talent engages with growing companies. As businesses seek agility without sacrificing expertise, fractional roles are becoming a powerful alternative to full-time hires. In fact, a report found that temporary business…

How to Build a Purpose-Driven Career in the Age of AI and Acceleration

In a world reshaped by AI, global connectivity, and relentless technological advancement, the pace of disruption has never been greater. Careers are being reinvented as industries transform, and individuals everywhere are being challenged to find meaning, adaptability, and creativity in their professional paths. According to Deloitte’s 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, 86% of…

Passing the Torch: Why the Skilled Trades Must Build a Culture That Protects Technician Wisdom

The skilled trades are facing a demographic cliff. The reality is that far fewer people are entering the trades than leaving, creating a widening gap that threatens the stability of critical infrastructure across the U.S. At the same time, younger generations are bringing different expectations around work-life balance, culture, and purpose. As a result, service…

Field Engineer to Industry Leader: Coty Fournier’s 35-Year Journey in Construction

Construction is an industry where experience is currency. For many in the field, career paths become case studies in adaptability, strategic growth, and cross-functional expertise. With the U.S. construction market experiencing both highs and lows, the demand for leaders who understand field realities as well as business strategies remains critical to the industry’s success…

Conservation as a Calling: How Corina Solis Transformed Burnout into Purpose

As environmental awareness grows and sustainability becomes a top priority for both companies and consumers, a growing number of professionals, especially among younger generations, are rethinking what meaningful work looks like. With ecological urgency mounting, many are exploring ways to align their careers with causes they care about. But what does it really take to…

Women in HVACR Are Driving Change Across the Skilled Trades

Trade school enrollment climbed 4.9% between fall 2020 and fall 2023, signaling a national shift toward skills-based careers as alternatives to four-year degrees. This modest but meaningful rebound underscores growing interest in trades like HVACR, where demand is high, but representation remains lopsided. For decades, women in the field have been overlooked despite playing…

Women in HVAC: Pioneering Change in a Male-Dominated Industry

The HVAC industry is evolving, and with it, the roles within the sector are expanding beyond traditional boundaries. Amid rising tuition costs and strong demand for skilled labor, young people are increasingly choosing trade schools over a traditional college education. With such a shift highlighting the need for a more diverse workforce, the questions…

The Evolution of HVAC Media Through the Eyes of Kyle Gargaro

The HVAC industry is no longer just about furnaces and air conditioners, and neither is HVAC media. It’s an ever-evolving ecosystem, shaped by technological advances, regulatory changes, and shifting workforce dynamics. With more than a century of history, publications catering to HVAC-related news, such as ACHR News, have played a crucial role in keeping…

Hiring for Values, Investing in Mentorship, and Leveraging Tech Boosts Retention and Workforce Stability in the HVAC Industry

Strategic hiring practices and structured mentorship programs help mechanical contractors combat labor shortages while building sustainable teams

Building a Skilled Trades Workforce: Certifications, Simulation-Based Training & Reskilling with SkillCat

Digital training and placement platforms are helping industries bridge a critical gap in skilled trades talent

Early Education in Skilled Trades Opens Doors to Solving Workforce Shortages

Hands-on classroom experiences are proving key to filling the nation's critical shortage of skilled trade workers

Passion, Safety, and Growth: The Journey of a Veteran in the Construction Industry

A safety director's three-decade construction career reveals how prioritizing worker protection fuels both personal fulfillment and business success

Mentorship and Knowledge Transfer are Key HVAC Workforce Development Strategies for a Growing Industry

As retirements accelerate, HVAC companies are racing to pass down critical expertise before institutional knowledge walks out the door

Empowering the Next Generation Through Trade Education: Building Confidence, Career Paths, and Bright Futures

A growing worker shortage is pushing educators to introduce career pathways in trades earlier than ever before

How Relationship-Building was Vital to an Account Manager’s Journey from Technician

Strong interpersonal skills and mentorship are becoming as essential as technical know-how in the competitive HVAC industry

Skilled Workers Thrive Where Craftsmanship, Integrity, and Relationships Align

When professional values and human connection become the foundation, skilled tradespeople unlock their full potential and drive industry growth

Transform Construction Careers with Grit and Creative Campaigns to Close the Gap

A severe workforce shortage is forcing the construction industry to rethink how it attracts and retains talent for the next generation

How to Bridge the Gap in HVAC Careers Through Education and Inclusion: Insights from Nicole Bass

A veteran industry leader shares how practical education and inclusive recruitment strategies are helping fill the skilled trades worker shortage

The Key to Building a Successful Business in the Mechanical Industry: Keeping Employees Happy and Fostering Long-term Relationships

Mechanical contractors discover that treating workers like family and investing in their growth outperforms traditional management approaches

Empowering the Trades: The Humphrey & Associates Story

A family-run contractor harnesses employee ownership to build a sustainable pipeline of skilled workers for the future

Empowering Women in Construction: Candice Offonry’s Vision for Diversity and Leadership in the Industry

Women are breaking through construction's gender barriers by building intentional pathways from entry-level positions to executive leadership roles

Navigating Careers in HVAC: Jason Saunders’ Journey to the Top

A high school graduate built a path to the executive suite by mastering mentorship, customer service, and adaptability in the trades

Building a Community of Intentional Leaders with a Construction Mind Shifter

A construction leader reveals how intentional mindset shifts transform industry culture and unlock human-centered operational excellence

The New Frontier of Decarbonization with Built Environments and the City of Tomorrow: Part 2

Building America's sustainable future hinges on solving a critical shortage of skilled workers in construction

Skills Training with Interplay Learning and Ken Midgett

A veteran plumber turned educator reveals how simulation technology is reshaping workforce development in the trades