In our last blog, we highlighted some strategies for keeping good people on your payroll. But how do you find them in the first place? We know, it’s a challenge for plumbing and HVAC businesses. Why? It’s the perfect storm of factors.

The youngest of the Baby Boomers are turning 60 and looking toward retirement, and almost half of the skilled trades workforce is age 45 and up. Couple that with a decline of younger people going into the trades, and you’ve got a lot of vacancies to fill when your longtime employees retire.

Some recent statistics put it into perspective:

• Nearly 70% of contractors report they’re struggling to find skilled workers.
• 66% of trade business owners believe they could expand their company if they could find more good employees.
• For every five skilled trade workers retiring, only one new worker enters the trades.
• There is a projected shortage of 110,000 HVAC techs in the US right now.
• For plumbers, that shortage is projected to hit 550,000 by 2027.

But it’s not all bad news! According to a new survey by Angi:

• 91% of skilled tradespeople say they’re happy in their careers — that’s up from 83% in 2021.
• 65% believe they’re safe from being replaced by AI.
• 47% believe AI can NEVER replace humans in home improvement tasks.

Looking at those statistics, it’s clear that once people get into trades like HVAC and plumbing, they realize how great an industry this is, they’re happy in their work and feel secure the bots aren’t coming for their jobs. But it’s getting people into those roles — that’s the challenge.

In past blogs, we’ve highlighted tactics for hiring good people. Here are four offbeat ideas you might not have considered.

1. Don’t try to hire apples for apples. Finding someone with the same kind of deep experience and know-how as your retiring employees is the ideal. It happens, sure. But not often. You’re unlikely to lure an HVAC tech or plumber with 20 years of experience away from their current job. Better to focus your energies, and hiring dollars, elsewhere. And on that note…
   
2. Take a page from the trucking industry. Many trucking companies hire people with zero experience and send them through programs to get their CDL (commercial driver’s license), with the promise of a job waiting when training is complete. HVAC and plumbing can take a page from that playbook and provide skills training, certification support and mentoring to green employees to get them up to speed.
   
3. Make sure your shop is high tech. Younger workers are digital natives who use technology for everything in their lives. Many have never gone to a bank to deposit a check — let that sink in. They expect tech to automate their workplaces, too. If you still have people manually punching in and out? That will seem like dinosaur technology to young people. Invest in mobile apps that provide your techs with instant access to info about their jobs, and focus on smart solutions for customers, too.  
4. Rethink your job ads. When’s the last time you updated your job posting? And, are you targeting young people? If not, it’s time for a bit of rethinking. Highlight what makes your workplace great. Speak directly to the job seeker – use “you” instead of “candidate” or “job seeker.” Include links to testimonials from current employees. Highlight photos of your company events that illustrate company culture.
   

Bottom line, there is a hiring shortage in the HVAC and plumbing industries. By shaking up your hiring practices, you might find an untapped reservoir of candidates who will become great employees.