How you can inspire young people to train in the construction industry – and why digitalization also plays a role
There is a shortage of qualified employees in the construction industry. And there really is. In its Skilled Workers Report, the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce found that 62% of companies in the construction sector are unable to fill their vacancies because they cannot find skilled workers. Yet the order books are full. The problem: there is a lack of young talent. While many experienced employees have often been with a company for years or decades, young people are no longer interested in training in the construction industry. But: digitizing your construction company can help you become more attractive on the job market.
Full order books – but shortage of skilled workers in the construction industry
Although the order situation in the construction sector is great, many companies are unable to accept all orders – simply because they lack the people to carry out the construction projects. There is a shortage of skilled workers in the construction industry. Above all, there is a lack of enthusiastic trainees. We keep hearing that the Lohne are too low and that the hard physical work is a deterrent. These are two reasons why fewer and fewer students are interested in training as a civil engineering worker, roofer or concrete and reinforced concrete worker. Perhaps it is also the outdated, hierarchical structures of many construction companies that young people don’t like. You won’t be able to change them overnight, but you can set up your company and your work processes in such a way that you are more interesting for potential new employees on the job market than your competitors.
Digitizing your construction company gives your employees time for their actual work
The younger generation is very familiar with digital tools. Young people are online around the clock and use digital software and apps as a matter of course in their everyday lives. They not only use their smartphones to play games, but also to work productively or to organize themselves.
The trainees you are looking for think the same way. And if you digitalize your construction company, you will not only make it fit for the future internally, but you will also be able to present yourself to the outside world with confidence. Future employees or trainees appreciate it when you create an uncomplicated working environment for them.
The advantages of smartphones and tablets on the construction site are clear: all processes become more efficient. Paperwork and tedious trips to the office are a thing of the past because employees no longer have to fill in their timesheets by hand, but instead track their working hours digitally.
Your foreman no longer has to write down or type up his Construction diary after the work is done – the software does this work for him because all the information has already been documented during the individual work steps. Want to know today what will happen on the construction site tomorrow? Also easily solved by a tool for digital Scheduling. This means that all employees and crews know which construction projects they are scheduled for with a quick glance at their construction site smartphone– and save themselves a trip to the scheduling plan in the office.
Ultimately, the digitalization of your company ensures that your employees use their valuable working time and energy for what they are really good at: their craft. No tedious tasks on top.
Attracting high school graduates to construction? It’s possible!
After leaving school, high school graduates are faced with the big question: vocational training or university? The range of courses is huge and the decision is often difficult. However, it’s not just studying that offers them career opportunities, but also the path of industrial training.
Promoting further training after the apprenticeship
Especially for career starters who want to create, build or construct something on their own, an apprenticeship in a trade is the perfect path. With the right support, these apprentices will stay with you in the long term – and you will be doing your bit to counteract the shortage of skilled workers in the construction industry. For example, by offering special programs for career advancement and further training opportunities or giving them the chance to take a master craftsman course. This support for professional development will keep your employees positive. And as they take on more responsibility in your company, they will become a foreman, a foreman, perhaps even a site manager who knows every detail of your business.
Are you looking for a successor for your company? Then think long term!
The issue of company succession is also important for the construction industry, because: Many company owners are approaching retirement and there is often no chosen successor. It is precisely this prospect of a management position that can motivate high school graduates to do an apprenticeship.
This has three advantages:
- Your potential successor has learned their trade in your company and knows it inside out.
- You can plan your business succession for the long term.
- You secure qualified specialists for your company in the long term.
Recruiting experienced specialists for the construction industry from abroad
It’s not just the owners of construction companies who are relatively old. The employees currently working on construction sites in Germany, Austria and Switzerland also have a relatively high average age. It is precisely this fact that will exacerbate the shortage of skilled workers in the construction industry in the future. Because there are not enough workers available at home, qualified construction specialists from abroad are all the more important in order to cope with the workload.
The issue of language is central to this, as language barriers with your foreign specialists will of course present you with challenges now and in the future. But one thing is already clear: skilled workers from abroad are an important piece of the puzzle for the future in the construction sector.
YAY, THE IMMIGRATION LAW FOR SKILLED WORKERS IN GERMANY IS HERE – AND NOW?
Thanks to the Skilled Immigration Act, which came into force in spring 2020, it is now easier for non-academics to enter and find a job in Germany. However, it will probably be a while before this law can be properly applied in the German construction industry. Because Experts believe that the hurdles for foreign workers are still too high.
The reason for this is that the German dual vocational training system with inter-company training centers is quite high quality and unique. There are hardly any comparable training systems outside of Europe – but applicants from abroad have to prove the equivalence of their skills. And that is precisely what is currently almost impossible. Associations and experts are already campaigning for a relaxation of the rules, for example by giving more weight to practical work experience. This is the only way to overcome the shortage of skilled workers in the construction industry.
Make working in your construction company attractive – with digital tools and training programs
The biggest motivation for people to learn and practice a trade: they want to create something. To build. To design. Really with their own hands, their own ideas. They want to build, weld and grind. And they don’t want to spend their time dealing with bureaucracy and complicated paperwork. To attract qualified specialists to your company, create enough incentives for them.
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