As the U.S. construction industry battles persistent workforce shortages, Boyd Worsham, president and CEO of the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), says the solution may lie in how the industry tells its story. In a new commentary, Worsham argues that the field needs to sell the top of the career ladder, not just the first rung.
“Ask any high schooler what a career in construction looks like, and most will picture a hard hat, a hammer and maybe a ladder or a truck. What they won’t picture is a foreman managing crews, a superintendent overseeing multimillion-dollar projects or a business owner hiring their own teams,” Worsham wrote. “That’s not because those roles don’t exist. It’s because no one told that student about them.”
.webp)
Worsham believes the construction industry has focused too much on entry-level recruitment and not enough on long-term career storytelling. While it’s true that trades like plumbing, welding, and electrical work offer strong wages without college debt, he says the industry often stops there — failing to show how those same jobs can lead to leadership and entrepreneurship.
“Here’s the truth: Construction isn’t a dead-end job. It’s one where people can build something better for themselves, their families, their futures,” he wrote. “It’s where someone can start working with their hands and rise to lead an entire company. But students can’t choose what they don’t know exists. And right now, we’re giving them an incomplete picture.”
According to recent data cited by Worsham, 85% of teenagers say trades are a good career option, yet only 16% plan to pursue them. Nearly half have never even spoken to someone working in construction, underscoring how deeply the perception gap runs.
“This is not just a messaging issue,” Worsham said. “It’s a mindset issue.”
To shift those perceptions, Worsham suggests reimagining how construction careers are presented to young people. He advocates for programs that highlight full career progression — not just the starting point.
“To change this perception problem, first we must tell the whole story,” he said. “Yes, in most cases, young people enter the trades by learning a craft, but many later become supervisors, estimators, project managers, executives and even business owners. We need to stop showing just the entry point and start showing the many pathways.”
He adds that career days, classroom visits, and jobsite tours should feature professionals at every level. “What if every CTE student met three professionals: a craft professional, a superintendent and a business owner? That’s how you show progression,” he explained.
Worsham’s message is clear: students don’t just need to see a job — they need to see a future.
The call for rebranding comes at a time when the construction industry faces a shortage of more than 439,000 workers, according to the Associated Builders and Contractors. Despite record demand for housing, infrastructure, and industrial facilities, companies continue to struggle to find skilled and motivated talent.
Worsham says filling those roles requires more than job descriptions — it requires storytelling that inspires. “Let’s stop assuming students don’t want to know more. Let’s ask: Would you like to run a job site? Manage a team? Own a company? Construction is full of those success stories. We just have to make them visible so students can make informed choices.”
At the same time, he emphasizes the need to value those who prefer to stay in the craft, saying, “Not everyone wants to manage others or run a company and that’s okay. With industry booming across the country, we need experienced craft professionals on the ground to get the work done. From housing to highways, the country is facing a surge of building needs that can’t be met without a strong, skilled workforce at every level.”
Worsham believes this is a pivotal moment for the construction sector — one defined by collaboration, innovation, and optimism. “More companies are thinking about how to treat and retain people, not just hire them. More industry associations are coming together, rather than competing. It feels like a moment of alignment, and we need to seize it by attracting more talented individuals to life-changing careers in construction,” he said.
Ultimately, he says, the key to building the next generation of construction professionals is giving them something to run toward, not away from.
“When students see a future rather than just the first step, they engage at another level. They stay longer, work harder and eventually lead,” Worsham concluded. “Construction has a powerful story to tell. It’s a story of opportunity, growth and real-world success. But until we tell the whole story, we’ll keep watching students walk away. Let’s give them something to run toward.”
Originally reported by Boyd Worsham in Construction Dive.
.webp)
