As high school and college graduates enter the labor market, construction employers face a timely opportunity to bolster their talent pipelines and shore up labor shortages. To remain competitive and ensure long-term stability, construction businesses must act decisively to attract and recruit members of the class of 2025. In fact, over 55% of contractors intend to increase their staffing levels during the second half of 2025, according to ABC’s Construction Confidence Index. To attract these new graduates, construction businesses need to get creative—and possibly try some non-traditional avenues to reach the newest members of the workforce.
A SHIFT TOWARDS THE TRADES
In recent years, younger workers have shown a noticeable shift in career preferences. Members of Gen Z—those born between 1997 and 2013—are increasingly choosing vocational training and skilled trades over traditional college degree paths. For construction firms and other trade-based industries, this trend offers a valuable opportunity to attract and retain a generation focused on job security, solid earning potential and long-term career advancement.
Research from the National Student Clearinghouse shows that for the third year in a row, high-vocational public two-year colleges saw strong enrollment growth, rising 11.7%. Since spring 2020, enrollment at these trade-focused institutions has grown nearly 20%, accounting for about 19% of total public two-year college enrollment.
Workforce data from ADP Research further highlights Gen Z’s interest in the trades. As of January 2024, 18.6% of workers aged 20 to 24 were employed in blue-collar jobs—2.3 percentage points higher than that of the same age group in January 2019 and 2.5 points higher than their peers aged 25 to 39.
HOW CAN CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES BUILD A SUSTAINABILE PIPELINE OF YOUNG TALENT?
To attract the next generation of workers, construction companies can consider expanding their outreach strategies and redefine what a career in construction looks like. The traditional image of construction as purely physical, “hammer-and-nail” labor is outdated. Today, the industry offers a wide range of dynamic career paths driven by technology, innovation and business operations.
Roles such as drone operators, BIM technicians, AI specialists and sustainability analysts are becoming increasingly essential on modern jobsites. In parallel, office-based roles in project management, procurement, safety compliance and business development provide critical support to field operations. These positions appeal to a broader talent pool, including students with backgrounds in STEM, business and digital design.
However, significant misconceptions persist—particularly among high school and college students. One common belief is that construction jobs lack long-term stability or growth potential. In reality, construction is among the highest-paying and most secure industries, with continued demand for skilled professionals and a steady pipeline of projects across residential, commercial and infrastructure sectors.
To overcome these barriers, employers must engage early and communicate the full spectrum of career opportunities. By shifting perceptions and highlighting the innovation within the industry, construction companies can build a future-ready workforce.
On top of that, here are five recruiting strategies to consider to draw new graduates to a construction career at your company.
BUILD A SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY
To attract top talent, especially recent graduates, it’s essential to meet them where they are—on social media. Strengthening your presence across platforms such as Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn can significantly boost your recruitment efforts and showcase the many benefits of a career in construction.
Tailor your content to each platform to maximize engagement. For instance, short-form videos can be highly effective in illustrating a “day in the life” of a construction worker. These clips can highlight the real-world impact of your projects, the camaraderie among team members and the rewarding nature of the work.
Leverage the insight of your youngest employees. Ask what kind of content they find compelling and what would keep them interested in a construction brand online. Their feedback can guide authentic, relatable content that resonates with peers and future recruits.
PARTNER WITH TRADE SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES AND APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS
Today’s graduates crave hands-on exposure through internships and apprenticeships. It’s a great way for them to get a taste of what construction has to offer. Relationships with local trade schools and community colleges are essential for strengthening entry-level recruitment pipelines. How consistently is your organization engaging with these institutions? For example, could trade schools amplify your social media content to reach a younger audience? Are you aligned with university recruiting-fair schedules to ensure your presence? Beyond career fairs, are schools effectively showcasing the career development and job opportunities available in construction? The stronger your relationships with these partners, the more likely they are to refer new graduates to your organization as a top employer.
FOCUS ON SKILL DEVELOPMENT
According to ADP Research’s People at Work 2025 report on skills development, only 25% of construction workers in North America strongly agree they have the skills to advance their career, while just 21% strongly agree their employers are investing in the skills needed to advance. These figures highlight a significant opportunity for construction businesses to gain a competitive advantage if they prioritize skills development.
To attract and retain young workers in the construction industry, it’s essential to provide meaningful skill development and clear career growth pathways that allow young workers to envision their future in the company. Start by understanding the skills candidates are eager to acquire, then use that insight to design a structured development plan tailored to their goals. Leverage workforce management technology built for the construction industry—ideally mobile-friendly—so new hires can access training on the jobsite or on the go, while also keeping track of their career growth.
UPDATE YOUR TALENT MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY
Today’s graduates are tech-savvy and digital natives. That’s why it’s essential to have a digital, mobile-friendly HR experience—whether in recruiting, scheduling, talent management or daily communications. For a generation accustomed to instant access and seamless digital interactions, anything less is no longer competitive. How is your construction organization modernizing its HR and workforce management systems to ensure they are accessible, mobile-optimized and streamlined for the next generation of talent? Partnering with an HR technology provider that offers construction-specific, tech-enabled solutions can give your organization an edge.
OFFER COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
The right HR technology partner can also provide access to robust compensation and benefits benchmarking data tailored by geography and age, helping ensure your offers stand out.
Once talent is recruited, a seamless, tech-driven onboarding experience reinforces your organization as a strong starting point for a career in construction. Don’t forget about retention, which starts on day one with onboarding.
According to ADP Research’s Today at Work 2025 Issue Two report on turnover rates, the construction industry had the fourth highest turnover rate of 13 industries in both non-summer and summer months. Building a talent strategy that focuses as much on retention as recruitment is key to building a cohesive, productive team with invaluable institutional knowledge of your construction business.
SEE ALSO: FROM APPRENTICESHIPS TO APPS: CRAFTING GEN Z’S SMART TRADE FUTURE
