With workforce shortages rising and career expectations shifting, Minnesota builders and remodelers must rethink how they attract, train, and retain Gen Z
Minnesota’s construction workforce is standing at a crossroads, and the stakes have never been clearer. As a generation of experienced tradespeople moves into the later years of their careers, builders, remodelers, and industry partners are facing one pressing question: How do we engage the next wave of talent? For companies across the state, the answer is becoming increasingly urgent—and increasingly centered on Gen Z. “We have seen the overall labor market on the building industry begin to age over the last decade,” says Jim Fuschetto, vice president of sales at Lyman Companies. “As the market has slowed, we have not been able to invest in younger talent as we have been right sizing the work force. … Now, we are beginning to start that process again to be able to build overall talent in our town.”
That shift is reshaping everything from recruiting and training to culture. The Builders Group CEO and TBG Education Foundation Board Member Jon Schindel sees the workforce pressures from a system-wide vantage point. “The Minnesota construction industry is at a crossroads,” he says. “People are retiring from the trades at a much higher rate than those entering the industry.”
The foundation raises funds to draw young people toward trade careers and deploys them through school grants and scholarship partnerships, efforts designed to introduce the trades at a much earlier age—and in more equitable ways. “We are trying to plant seeds through the shop classes that the trades are a great option,” he explains, “and to make a trade school financially viable for them.”
That exposure often carries more weight than industry leaders might expect. Schindel points to a recent example where a middle school shop teacher applied for grant funding to purchase a table saw. After students used it to make cutting boards, one young girl told her teacher she never understood how things were “made” until that moment—and now she wanted to go home and see what else she could build. The spark wasn’t just in the project; it was in the access. As Schindel notes, 60 students passed through that classroom. Even if only a few pursue the trades, early experiences like those open doors that didn’t exist before.
While early exposure matters, the next challenge is helping Gen Z see a place for themselves inside construction companies. Fuschetto says younger workers bring valuable strengths—fresh perspective, comfort with technology, and a readiness to rethink old systems. “They have a great way to use some of the newer technologies and bring forward newer systems to try out,” he notes. But they also expect clarity and structure. “We have developed programs that have milestones and steps in their development,” he says, adding that younger hires often want faster progression than traditional training models allowed in the past.
That desire for visible growth is one of the biggest shifts companies must respond to. “Boomers and Gen X’ers were taught that ‘if you work hard, success will come your way’,” Schindel says. “In the recruitment process, the candidate needs to be shown a path.” He explains that outlining expectations, salary progression, and skill benchmarks—especially in the first two years—helps younger workers visualize a future with the company, not just a job.
Fuschetto believes the stereotypes about Gen Z fall short of the reality. “The tenured team feels the younger group doesn’t want to work as hard,” he says. “I feel they want to work, but they want to work as efficiently possible. They try to find the best way to get it done.” What they truly value, he emphasizes, is culture, communication, and a company willing to invest in their advancement.
Looking ahead, success will favor companies that make the trades visible, accessible, and aspirational. As Schindel underscores, “In the job description provided to a candidate, show that candidate a plan for advancement in the first couple years.” The next generation is ready—they just need an industry willing to meet them where they are.
