As the home building industry’s labor shortage persists, it is increasingly crucial to educate the younger generation on the career opportunities available in construction.
“If you have people who are entering the workforce or are taking classes that are part of this industry, we should be giving 110% of our effort to those students to keep them motivated and interested in the opportunities that are available,” said Cindy Kosloski, CEO of the Home Builders Association (HBA) of Greater Lansing in Michigan.
Members of the HBA of Greater Lansing support students by offering mentorship and guidance. They provide feedback to Michigan State University (MSU) students preparing for presentations at the International Builders’ Show’s Student Competition each year.
“The students do a great job taking in the feedback because they realize they’re working with a lot of industry professionals who are there to help them,” said Kosloski.
Kosloski also arranges for women from MSU to meet and be mentored by professionals from the HBA’s Professional Women in Building (PWB) Council and invites all students to its monthly membership events.
In South Dakota, the HBA of the Sioux Empire assists students at Mitchell Technical College and Southeast Technical College with job searches during school breaks and after graduation.
“There’s a need for getting qualified people into our industry,” said Todd Anawski, government affairs and safety director for the HBA of the Sioux Empire.
For those looking to get involved with local student chapters, resources such as current lists of student chapters and information about student chapter membership are available. Additional details about the Student Competition at IBS can also be found online.
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