The document discusses the critical need for attracting skilled tradespeople in the face of an aging workforce and perceptions that jobs in trades are less desirable compared to those in technology. It highlights generational differences in attitudes towards skilled trades, with younger generations favoring tech careers, and calls for a shift in how the industry markets and showcases opportunities within trades. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of community and diverse leadership in fostering a sustainable labor force in the skilled trades sector.

1. The Importance of Attracting
Skilled Tradespeople

2. Moderator:Moderator:
Suresh Parmachand, Sr. Marketing Mgr., Canada - Uponor
Panelists:Panelists:
Mark Eatherton, Executive Director – Radiant Professional Alliance
(RPA), Contractor Magazine
Adam Freill, Editor - Mechanical Business Magazine
Ron Jones, President – Green Builder Media
Steve Swanson, Trainer – Uponor
Mark Vreugdenhil, Publisher – HVAC & Plumbing Magazine
The CastThe Cast

3. The Generational IdentityThe Generational Identity
Current Market (Post War to Boomer)Current Market (Post War to Boomer) Future Market (Gen X, Y and Millennial)Future Market (Gen X, Y and Millennial)
Workaholic
Loyal to
company
Rank and
file
Risk Averse
GAPGAP
Work/Life
Balance
Loyal to
ideals
Capitalize on
Opportunities
Risk

4. 1940’s1940’s 1960’s1960’s 1980’s1980’s 2000’s2000’s
1950’s 1970’s 1990’s
Today
A Generational SummaryA Generational Summary
War Child
Post War
Baby Boom ME Generation Millennial
Generation X Generation Y
$4 600
$10 950
$13 600
$23 400
$14 100
$6 450
$4 130
$2 400
$89 330
$22 100
$113 150
$35 900
$297 000
$46 326
Poverty
$23k

5. A Generational SummaryA Generational Summary
Source: AC Neilsen
Greatest Generation (1901-1924)
Silent Generation (1925-1945)
Baby Boomers (1946-1964)
Generation X (1965-1976)
Millennials/Gen Y (1977-1995)
--Younger Millennials (18-27)
--Older Millennials (28-36)
Generation Z (1995-Present)

6. What Are You Seeing
As The Hurdles For
Engaging New
Generations?

7. 56 industry tradesperson average age
Source: US Census

8. Population DistributionPopulation Distribution
Source: emsi/career builder
53%
45+

9. With An Aging
Workforce How Do You
Feel the Industry Is
Perceiving the Issue Of
Industry Attraction?

10. Industry 2020Industry 2020
Prospective Students Have No Interest
54%
37%
25%
Young people believe
there is better future
working in computers
than skilled trades.
Young people believe that
skilled trades is old
fashioned.
Young people believe
working in an office is
more respected than
working with your hands.
11%
Students not interested
because they don’t think
the trades are cool.

11. Industry 2020Industry 2020
• Average age of skilled trades : 61
• Age impacts the ability to capitalize on market opportunities
• Labour rate on skilled trades increases by ~30%
• Unskilled workers enter market to fill market needs
• Problems are created within marketplace due to poor installation
• Skilled workers are called into fix problems
• Problem perpetuates
Skilled Trades Become Firefighters

12. What Are The
Pitfalls Of This
Scenario Playing
Out?

13. Source: Stats Canada, US Census
Canadian Population Breakdown US Population Breakdown

14. What Age Group Do
You Feel Can Drive
Change? Why?

15. Market DiversityMarket Diversity

16. Market DiversityMarket Diversity

17. Market DiversityMarket Diversity
Half of children under 5 are ethnic.
By 2019 half of children under 18 will be ethnic.
Source: NBC Nesws, US Census,

18. “More so than ever, we need to recognize the
importance of young minorities for the growth
and vitality of our labour force and economy.“
-William H Fey, Demographer - Bookings Institute
Notable Quotes:Notable Quotes:

19. How Are Changes
In Workforce
Diversity Going to
Impact Industry?

20. New Leadership ParadigmNew Leadership Paradigm
TraditionalTraditional New AgeNew Age
• Hierarchical
• Goal-oriented
• Manage resources
• Knowledge
• Extroversion
• Experience
• Egotism
• Empowering
• Intelligence
• Success
• Influence
• Effectiveness (myopic)
• Drives Consistency
Leadership is influence, nothing more,
nothing less.
-John Maxwell
Leadership is the process of influencing others
to work towards a mutually desired vision.
-David Burkus
• Holistic
• People-oriented
• Liberate resources
• Situational impact
• Self-motivated
• Intellectual Capital Management
• Self confident
• Without Boundaries
• Selfless
• Trust
• Effectiveness (peripheral)
• Collaborator
• Enabler
Source: Actionpointe, Journal of Applied Psychology
Meet business objectives
Creating an environment where individuals
will be allowed to foster positive change

21. “Management causes 85% of problems in an
organization.”
-Dr. Demmings
The cost of losing an employee in the first
year of hire is projected at 3 times their
annual salary.
-Wynhurst Group

22. How Is This New
Leadership
Paradigm Going To
Impact Industry?

23. Media Drives Perception

24. 1 in 3
Parents would encourage
children to work in trade
High Schools have become incubators for College and University
3 Generations of Change…
Source: Association od University and Colleges of Canada (AUCC)
* Employment
changes in thousands
6 Million6 Million
BoomersBoomers
In 2 DecadesIn 2 Decades

25. The Hierarchy of Trades – Perception Drives Decisions

26. Stories Are Being Told

27. How Can We
Improve Perception
of the Trade?

28. 49% 51%
Median Age
41
Gender Breakdown
source: Stats Canada, US Census 2010

29. source: Stats Canada

30. Are We Doing
Enough To Attract
Women To Our
Industry?

31. Special Education Funding
Sources: 2006 U.S. Budget, Historical Tables.
This graph shows that federal grants from special education rose from under $250 million in
1977 to $5 billion in 2000 nearly $12 billion in 2005.
20 % reduction20 % reduction
in technicalin technical
eductioneduction
Decline (millions)

32. How Does Public
Policy Need To
Change Our
Education System?

33. 51% 49%
Smartphone
Audience
Social Landscape
72% 1919%%1919%%
22%%22%%
3535%%3535%%
4343%%4343%%
1313%%1313%%1313%%1313%% 2121%%2121%%
5252%%5252%%
Social @ PlaySocial @ Play
99%%99%%
44%%44%% 1111%%1111%%
7676%%7676%%
Social @ WorkSocial @ Work
22%%22%%

34. The Power Of One
Social mediaSocial media has changed the
way we consume and share
information.
Technology has provided a conduit for
individuals to shareindividuals to share their
stories, opinions, thoughts, content,
images, videos, etc. to theto the
massesmasses, with few restrictions.

35. Cognitive Learning
Gamification Of Industry LearningGamification Of Industry Learning
Source: www.interplayenergy.com/intercaz

36. How Have Social
Trends Changed in
Business? How Can
We Leverage These
Trends To Build
Awareness?

38. Brain Drain - Today
18-25 26-37 38-49 50-60 61-70 71+
16 561 000
Age Distribution
3% 18% 24% 45% 11%

39. Brain Drain – 10 years
18-25 26-37 38-49 50-60 61-70 71+
14 739 292
Age Distribution
2% 2% 18% 23% 44% 11%

40. Brain Drain – 15 years
18-25 26-37 38-49 50-60 61-70 71+
11 261 480
2% 2% 10% 21% 33% 32%
Age Distribution

41. How Can We
Improve
Knowledge
Transfer?

42. Government Programs
Source: www.actionplan.gc.ca Source: www.skillsusa.org

43. Association Programs
Insert HRAI program
Source: www.careertap.ca Source: www.hrai.ca

44. Source: www.careersinhvacr.org
Association Programs

45. Governments &
Associations are
Trying, But Can They
Do It Alone? How Can
We Help?

46. It Takes A Village
To Raise A Child

47. It Takes A Community To
Develop A Tradesperson

48. The Community

49. How Do You Feel
The Community Can
Work Together?

50. We will need to
rethink where our
leaders are from…

52. • Advanced Technology
Services Inc., a Peoria,
Ill., factory-
maintenance company
that employs 2,300
workers
• In the classroom –
hands on secondary
school training for high-
school graduates at a
cost of $1,500 per
student
• War veterans transition
program
What Are Others Doing?
ATS
Source: www.advancedtech.com

53. What Are Others Doing?
Government Of Canada
The Government of Canada launched
the Federal Skilled Trades Program in
January 2013 to facilitate the
immigration of skilled tradespeople
who meet Canada’s current and
evolving economic needs. Skilled
tradespeople are assessed on relevant
criteria, such as language ability,
practical training and work experience
rather than formal academic
education.
Source: www.cic.gc.ca

54. What Are Others Doing?
mikeroweWORKS Profoundly Disconnected:
A trillion dollars in student
loans. Record high
unemployment.
Three million good jobs that no
one seems to want. The goal of
Profoundly Disconnected is to
challenge the absurd belief that
a four-year degree is the only
path to success.
The Skills Gap is here, and if
we don’t close it, it’ll swallow
us all. Which is a long way of
saying, we could use your
help…
Source: www.profoundlydisconnected.com

55. What Are Others Doing?
Collaborative Effort
Canadian Apprenticeship Forum-Forum
www.caf-fca.org.
About Skills/Compétences Canada
www.skillscanada.ca.
About the Campaign
In 2006, the two organizations
partnered to develop and launch the
Skilled Trades: A Career you can Build
On campaign. The campaign reached
across Canada through various
resources, marketing materials, a new
website and even some theatre ads.
Source: www.careersincanada.ca

56. "What the industry needs is to be much more
aggressive in marketing and creating visibility.“
-Jim Ryan, Chief Executive Grainger
Notable Quotes:Notable Quotes:
"We've made work the enemy,"
-Mike Rowe, TV Personality

57. • Leverage government apprenticeshipLeverage government apprenticeship
programsprograms
• Work with Associations at the localWork with Associations at the local
chapter level to improve circumstancechapter level to improve circumstance
• Elevate the trade – tell your storiesElevate the trade – tell your stories
What Can you Do?What Can you Do?

58. suresh.parmachand@uponor.com
@mktngjnky
Linkedin.com/marketingjunky
marketingjunky.wordpress.com
Suresh ParmachandSuresh Parmachand
The Importance of AttractingThe Importance of Attracting
Skilled TradespeopleSkilled Tradespeople