Young Talent Motivations to Pursue Craft Careers in Construction: The Theory of Planned Behavior

Past studies indicate that the US construction industry is facing challenges to attract young talent to pursue craft careers. The main goal of this research is to understand the underlying factors that influence career selection of the next generation of craft workers in order to help the industry overcome those challenges. The authors designed a survey based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. The survey was distributed across the US among individuals between the ages of 15-24 who were exposed to Career Technical Education (CTE) or participated in construction training programs. A total of 778 completed questionnaires was received. The statistical analysis shows that having work experience in construction-related jobs can significantly improve intention to choose a career in the industry. There is also a strong correlation between self-confidence and intention. A multivariate regression model is created to understand the relative importance of components of attitude towards working in construction. The results of this study helped the researchers make several recommendations on how to attract the next generation of craft workers to the industry.