The skilled labor shortage is a hot topic in the kitchen and bath industry. According to Manpower Group’s recent survey, for the sixth-straight year skilled trade jobs are the most difficult to fill in the U.S. with nearly half the employers in the country feeling the impact. Ferguson has been working with trade partners to address this growing crisis.
“The shortage of skilled trade professionals is an issue we regularly hear about from our customers,” says Henry Wood, Vice President of Residential Trade and Corporate Counter Development. “We are working with several organizations to change this growing trend and provide more opportunities for young people to enter the industry.”
One way Ferguson is promoting the growth and development of future industry talent is by sponsoring free NKBA student memberships. NKBA student members can network with peers and potential mentors, receive free registration for the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS), and have access to internship opportunities. They can also participate in exclusive design competitions offering thousands of dollars in scholarships annually.
Another organization Ferguson has long supported is the PHCC Educational Foundation’s Board of Governors. Ferguson’s ongoing education investment helps the Foundation increase their training offerings for prospective plumbing, heating and cooling industry workers. For more than a decade, Ferguson has financed scholarships and business management and technical educational programs for contractors and their employees. Those looking to move up to management can gain the knowledge needed through live seminars, webinars and YouTube videos. There are also workshops for current managers to share best practices and explore small business ownership.
They proudly support the PVF Roundtable providing scholarships for industrial distribution students and trade school students in related programs. And they work with the Mechanical Contracting Education and Research Foundation (MCERF) in their endeavor to attract talented, well-educated, resourceful and industrious future young professionals to the trade.
These are just a few of the ways Ferguson is working to address the labor shortage and provide new opportunities for trade professional in the kitchen and bath industry. For more information, click here.
