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May 21, 2021

How The LIME Foundation is Closing the Labor Gap

Workforce shortages in the construction industry cause businesses to turn down projects and miss deadlines every single day. And while the competition for experienced workers is fierce, hiring away from competitors and recycling through employees puts a Band-Aid on a bigger problem: the lack of young people choosing construction as a career. Frustrated by this disconnect, ARS Roofing CEO Letitia Hanke decided to take action. She founded The LIME Foundation – a nonprofit that introduces young people in Santa Rosa, California to the trades and connects these prospective workers to construction firms seeking to hire.

In Part 2 of their conversation, host Mike Merrill and Letitia discuss construction’s dire need for expanding its workforce and how The LIME Foundation is a model for tackling the labor gap. They talk about the foundation’s training programs, why construction companies benefit from investing in young people and showing them the path to long-term careers. They also dive into how others can learn from Letitia’s model and create training programs in their own communities.

Key Takeaways:

  1. Promote career opportunities in the trades industry. Recent generations have been taught there is one path to a good career: graduate high school, graduate college and get a professional job. But not everyone wants to risk going into debt or attending a university. Many others don’t realize the vast opportunities working in construction and trades can offer. Rather than waiting for prospective workers to find you, go to them. Whether it’s job fairs or formal training programs, make recruiting new workers a priority to combat worker shortages.
  2. Invest in training brand new workers. Taking the time to train someone brand new to a trade may sound like a lot of time and money, but it’s well worth the investment. Competing for experienced workers has its limitations, whereas there’s an expansive market for prospective new hires. Another perk? A newbie is highly trainable and less likely to bring shortcuts and bad habits from other job sites.
  3. Seek out trade training programs – or start one yourself. While The LIME Foundation is only in Santa Rosa, California for now, there are still plenty of construction and trade programs throughout the United States to connect with. And if there isn’t one, take a cue from Letitia and explore how you can take action to bring educational programs to your region and attract a new generation of workers to the industry.