I’ve been with EC&M for a very long time — more than 20 years on this magazine and then several more years prior on sister publications in our brand’s electrical group. During this time, I’ve seen many trends come and go. But one has remained relatively constant. I honestly can’t remember when recruiting and retaining skilled labor in the electrical industry wasn’t a top priority for electrical engineering firms, electrical contracting companies, and electrical professionals working in the plant facility/manufacturing sector.
Not only do we not have enough young folks entering the profession and pursuing a career in electrical work, but the number of Baby Boomers retiring adds fuel to the labor shortage fire. According to research by Guillaume Vandenbroucke, an economist and assistant vice president at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, every single day for the next two decades approximately 10,000 Americans will turn 65. This reality definitely presents an ongoing challenge for our readers; however, they continue to come up with creative ways to bridge the labor gap. Based on data from our past Top 40 Electrical Design Firms and Top 50 Electrical Contractors surveys, some of these strategies include: mentorship programs that match new employees with experienced workers; on-the-job training and shadowing initiatives; bringing retired or retiring engineers/contractors on board to work with younger employees; documenting veteran work practices in training materials; matching new hires with mid-level electrical professionals during training sessions; inviting experienced workers to offer leadership training to younger employees; and creating intergenerational teams to work together on projects.
This year’s group of 30 Under 30 Electrical All Stars, featured in this month’s cover story is a testament to this commitment surrounding career development. In this special report, read the personal journeys of 30 young electrical professionals, representing many facets of the electrical engineering and contracting communities — all of whom have overachieved, excelled, and made their mark on the industry in their own ways by their 30th birthdays! Since 2018, EC&M has been honoring innovative young electrical professionals with its 30 Under 30 recognition program. Knowing we wanted to celebrate the next generation of electrical workers, we featured 10 Electrical All Stars the first year of launching the program. For the last four years, due to the significant increase in the number of nominations, we expanded that to 30. This year was no exception when it came to the caliber of candidates nominated by their supervisors and peers.
In keeping with the career development theme for this July issue, Senior Associate Editor Ellie Coggins highlights how a high school in Saugerties, N.Y. is participating in a unique program between the county’s Habitat for Humanity chapter and its trades education program, which allows juniors and seniors in an electrical construction and maintenance program at the Ulster Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) to gain hands-on experience while also serving the community. Read more about this innovative program.
What does it take to get people to consider a career in the electrical field? In “Good Help Is Hard to Find,” Freelance Writer Tim Kridel examines what some of the industry’s largest firms are doing to recruit and retain top talent as well as what some of its youngest employees are saying attracted them. Their answers may surprise you.
