b'NEXTGENTHE LABOUR SHORTAGE SALVATIONBY AGNES WATKINSON,CO-FOUNDER, A look to the next generationNEXTGEN PROFESSIONALT he labour shortage is here; it is no longer looming, it iswe should be working together to create a sustainable and holistic here. A quick 30-second Google search on Constructionecosystem of new people with new skills and experiences coming Shortages pulls up webpage after webpage with titlesinto the space (long-term solution).screaming: Labour Shortages Holding Back the Construction Industry ; As Construction Worker Shortages Worsen ; andI also advocate for the ROI in a holistic long-term model. Training, Canada Needs to Act Now or Face Construction Shortages. mentoring and growing new talent can look costly upfront, but it can also mitigate industry losses significantly over time. Consider My friends, the labour shortage is no longer looming, it is here. the following:Due to a reduction in people entering the construction space,Health and safety practices and insurance increasing;compounded with the retirement of experienced members, we areTighter profit margins due to salary increases, jobs delays, etc.;scrambling to find an immediate solution. Current practice is forPotential for increased change orders due to experience gap;construction firms to pull bodies out of the depleting population ofLack of management-ready personnel to infill the retirees; andtrained workers, creating a candidates market. Candidates knowFinancial and cultural costs of employee turnover.the industry is hurting for their skills and experience, so they retortThe list can go on.back pay up. Inflated salaries, an unstable candidate pool and constant talent poaching means the industry is clamouring to putI am one of the Co-Founders of NextGen Professional, and out internal personnel fires. we wholeheartedly believe in a collaborative approach to Is this sustainable? Unlikely. bridging this gap. The resources are here, in Canada, scattered throughout Union Halls, Member Affiliations, Not-For-Profits and What is a company to do? construction firms. NextGen is mapping out these resources and I have a suggestion: lets stop hurting one another and the industrybringing them to the table to create a holistic and collaborative overall. Hear me out. plan to tackle the shortages and ensure future generations do not experience a similar dilemma.The population of skilled and experienced individuals is dwindling,Currently, we work with several post-secondary institutions to yet, Canada has a population of 37 million and growinggather, vet and qualify students graduating from construction-(which, I should also point out, means constructionrelevant programs. We prepare them, give them resources and will continue to grow). match them with progressive firms committed to protecting their Taking into consideration Babyfuture. Once our NextGen alumni are nestled into their place of Boomers, other career fields,work, we stay with them. We work with our alumni over disabilities and so on I believethe course of one year, placing them into a leadership it is not a shortage of bodiesprogram that includes one-on-one coaching. Our but a shortage of skills. Thisleadership coaches come from the construction is a significant revelation andindustry and act as a catalyst to prepare our opportunity for us. juniors for career advancement sooner.The industry is fighting overNextGen (actively running for existing skills and experienceeight months now) has successfully (short-term solution); however,hired six Project Coordinators. We are actively engaged in our leadership series, 14THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SCAFFOLD INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF CANADA'