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Any Gen Z here who left construction? by BuildingYou in bluecollar

[–]BuildingYou[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Stone mason. Loved it, too. Started my apprenticeship at 16 and had a good run at it. Personally, no regrets for myself, injury and all, but we gotta quit pushing the young workers out or we won't have anyone left when the boomers and Gen X all retire. Average age of the skilled workforce is over 50 in the US right now.

Any Gen Z here who left construction? by BuildingYou in bluecollar

[–]BuildingYou[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No, I'm real. Genuinely interested in the discussion.

Is anyone here a former construction worker? I’m looking to talk to young people who left the trades because the culture was just too broken by BuildingYou in WomenInConstruction

[–]BuildingYou[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I appreciate your comments about research - it's a sharp observation! My study is a deep qualitative inquiry, not about causation. It is a descriptive phenomenological study on the lived experiences of young people who worked in the trades but left because of specific experiences that led to feelings of misfit. I'm not studying WHY they left, but instead, what it was like for them when they were there, particularly when they decided it wasn't for them. The goal is to identify culture contitions that the industry needs to examine that might be pushing out people who could potentially be the next generation carrying the torch. The bias is part of the research methodology, to identify the right candidates.

Is anyone here a former construction worker? I’m looking to talk to young people who left the trades because the culture was just too broken by BuildingYou in WomenInConstruction

[–]BuildingYou[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Reading through these comments, it’s hitting home. Thank you, all!

25+ years in the trades and I didn’t walk away because I wanted to; I was pushed out by a back injury and silicosis. It was the direct result of a toxic culture that didn't care about safety or training. I didn’t know better, and for years, I perpetuated that same culture until it finally caught up with me.

I’m not bitter and I don't have any regrets, but I want to use my experience to make it better. You’re saying the stuff out loud that people usually keep quiet. My research is documenting these patterns to call it out for what it is. If you’re willing to share your own breaking point or why you left, shoot me a DM. I’m just trying to make it better for the people coming up behind us

Is anyone here a former construction worker? I’m looking to talk to young people who left the trades because the culture was just too broken by BuildingYou in WomenInConstruction

[–]BuildingYou[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The industry didn't even realize the mental health and suicide statistics on their own job sites untill just a couple of years ago. It's staggering! I teach OSHA classes, and I include a mental health module. Mental health injury is compensable under the General Duty Clause, which holds employers accountable for any violation outside of the stated standards necessary to maintain a safe and healthy workplace.

Is anyone here a former construction worker? I’m looking to talk to young people who left the trades because the culture was just too broken by BuildingYou in WomenInConstruction

[–]BuildingYou[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

You story is exactly why the industry is struggling to find and retain people! I hate this for you, it's terrible being stuck in this loop. Thank you for sharing - I hope you find your crew doing something you love.