Understanding what drives young individuals to pursue craft careers in construction: The Theory of Planned Behavior

Previous studies show that the U.S. construction industry is facing a skilled labor shortage. The increase of the average age of craft workers within the industry, change in workforce demographics, decline in career and technical education in North America, and the difference between motivational factors of new entrants and the current workforce indicate that the industry is facing long-term structural changes regarding the construction craft workforce. These changes demand the need for understanding the underlying factors that influence young people to choose a career as craft workers in construction. The goal of this study is to shed light on the motivational factors that differ across different demographic groups. Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, a survey is designed to measure 1) individual's attitude, 2) subjective norms, and 3) perceived behavioral control. A national survey was conducted involving 778 completed questionnaires. The target population for this research includes young people between the ages of 15-24 who were exposed to Career Technical Education (CTE) or participated in construction training programs. The statistical analysis shows that if young people have some work experience in construction-related jobs, it can significantly improve their intention to choose a career in the construction industry. Also, some differences in components of attitude were found based on demographics. The results of this study will help the North American construction industry to gain more insight on how to attract young people to the industry.