A group of construction companies in the Wichita, Kan., area has formalized itself as a nonprofit, Build-Pride, to help raise awareness regarding construction industry careers and recruit young people to the industry, according to www.kansas.com.
Jason McCracken, one of the group's four founding members and COO of Hi-Tech Interiors, Manhattan, Kan., says the industry has had difficulty hiring good people for a long time, and young people need to be aware of the benefits and career path opportunities available.
"As baby boomers get older, it's getting tougher and tougher (to find workers)," McCracken says. "We think the perception of the industry as a whole is not favorable, but we're in an industry where people can make really good money and take care of their families."
The group started a couple of years ago as a digital marketing campaign to promote the industry and construction careers among the founding members' companies. It has evolved into an organization that aims to get into schools—elementary, middle and high schools, as well as technical schools and colleges—to promote jobs in the construction industry.
McCracken says not everyone wants to go to college, and not all the jobs in the industry require a college degree.
"It just requires you to want to go to work and learn," he says.
