We have all seen it at a diner or restaurant—a kid sitting at the table with an iPad, playing a game or watching a video. Many of us privately think the same thing: “They probably never put that thing down.” Those kids will enter the workforce in the next 15–20 years, and the technology they are using today will be second nature. 

Meanwhile, the electrical contracting industry is facing the problem of electricians retiring with no one to fill their spots. The industry needs people who can handle these digital tools without any hesitation and still understand how to get their hands dirty. With that in mind, it is worth paying close attention to the PC gaming community. 

Digital natives bring their own experience

Young electricians who grew up with consoles and computers have learned how to navigate constant software changes. This ability translates surprisingly well into a skill set that is useful in modern electrical work and future careers in building information modeling (BIM) and virtual design and construction (VDC).

Tyler Christman is 26 and works as an administrative project manager. (Full disclosure: this is my son.) He entered the industry with no prior electrical experience. However, he brought years of experience with technology and PC gaming. He knew that with games, every one has its own layout, controls and rules. Switching between them helped him build adaptability. With this experience, he adjusted well to the new technology that was introduced to him in the industry, and, within weeks, his co-workers were asking him questions about programs he had only recently learned himself.

When starting this article, I knew that there would be other similar cases. Little did I know how many. Josh Velazquez and Alex Castleton are close to the same age and are both electricians that have made the move from the field to the VDC department. Velazquez started gaming on a Nintendo Game Boy, then moved to real-time strategy games on a PC at eight. Castleton grew up with a Sega Genesis and, by 10, was spending countless hours on similar strategy games. In the field, Castleton and Velazquez have become the personnel their foremen rely on to interpret BIM and VDC models on an iPad. When someone needs to navigate the model or find a view, they can grab an iPad and feel right at home.

Getting exposed to the technology at an early age provides these benefits. Christman does not remember a time without computers. Because of that, new software has never felt intimidating. When he started work, he already understood everyday concepts such as editing files, saving backups and working in cloud systems, while poking around unfamiliar programs without fear. 

Castleton describes the same experience. Using Windows felt natural to him. By 18, he had built his own computer from parts. That knowledge made him a useful resource at work when hardware issues came up.

Growing up as a digital native also normalizes constant change. Christman, Velazquez and Castleton all had families that would upgrade home electronics every couple of years. New consoles and games were routine, and their families were always looking to upgrade to the latest systems. So software updates and new interfaces at work feel normal. For Castleton, Velazquez and Christman, change is expected, whereas the previous generation tend to keep their known technology until it absolutely must be replaced.

A preparation of their own

Gaming brings even more to the table (or desk, in this case). Video games are more than characters running around on a screen. Strategy games require planning, resource management and problem-­solving. Before they worked in the electrical industry, Velazquez and Castleton had already spent years thinking ahead, adjusting plans and reacting to changing conditions in games. These habits showed up on job sites and in coordination meetings.

As kids, all three were editing configuration files to customize software. Creating backups of files before editing was second nature, and having them meant they could test files to see if they would work or just crash the software. Fixing mistakes taught integration and how system files work together. 

Castleton went even further. He learned basic DOS commands to help set up online gaming servers. With parental help, he was setting up networks and eventually learned how to assign IP addresses and subnet masks by himself for LAN parties at his house. Those fundamentals are still used today when dealing with construction technology.

Employees familiar with technology also adapt to new tools quickly. Christman started using artificial intelligence (A.I.) tools during his first week on the job. He had never seen electrical plans or specifications before. A.I. helped translate one-line diagrams into plain language. Within a week, he could read them with confidence. When he began getting interested in the industry, before even applying for the job, he used A.I. to build a National Electrical Code workbook and teach himself the basics. He views these digital tools as teachers, not threats.

For workers such as Christman, Velazquez and Castleton, the path leads from the field into virtual design and construction. Castleton worked in the field before showing interest in BIM and VDC, then eventually moving into the VDC department. Foremen would regularly hand him an iPad instead of struggling through the software themselves. 

Velazquez’s comfort with models made him the bridge between the digital world and installation crews, including foremen with decades of experience. Castleton and Velazquez assumed that being involved in BIM and VDC was reserved for engineers or people with college degrees. After moving to the VDC team, they quickly learned that the strongest modelers are electricians who understand the field-installation process and the software.

Knowing the technology put Velazquez and Castleton in a peculiar position when assigning field work. They noticed that helping foremen with tablets and models led to knowledge transfer. They would provide the technology know-how and tips and tricks. In return, experienced electricians explained methods, code requirements and job site realities in detail. That exchange moved them beyond basic tasks into layout, plan review and verification work much earlier than usual.

Companies can benefit and, in this tight job market, put themselves ahead when they highlight technology, modeling and innovation. Construction does not look low-tech to a generation raised on tablets and 3D visuals; it looks like opportunity. Castleton gives simple advice to younger workers: learn to use a computer well, spend time on it and have fun while doing it.

Mentorship is still critical

None of this replaces mentorship. These electricians still rely on experienced foremen, co-workers and on-the-job training. Velazquez appreciates the people who took time to explain the work to him. Christman leaned on recorded trainings and co-worker support. Castleton believes in sticking with the trade through good and bad days. Summed up, technology supports learning; it does not replace people.

The difference is in how naturally these workers blend tools. Young electricians with knowledge of A.I., search engines and videos are all sitting at the same toolbox. They move between these digital tools without friction.

As the electrical industry continues to move into this digital age, the link between gaming and construction grows stronger. People who spent years managing PC gaming systems bring flexibility. Contractors who recognize that potential early will be able to build stronger teams. This experience helps in the field and creates clear paths into BIM, VDC and other digital roles that can help motivate employees and build on the knowledge they already possess.

The similarities between gaming and success in the electrical industry are not accidental. Time spent late-night gaming, navigating interfaces, editing files, managing systems and fixing tech problems builds skills that show up on real job sites. As labor shortages continue and the digital transformation advances, the industry can benefit from looking beyond the standard applicant and broaden its hiring pool. The future electrician will have the ability to move between conduit and code, hand tools and software, without thinking twice. For this generation, this will come naturally.

As a side note, I followed a very similar path just a few decades earlier. I can personally tell you that being comfortable with PC software and hardware has absolutely helped me throughout my career. One of my favorite sayings is, “I am a master of anything I can Google.” 

Using online resources for research and YouTube for learning, and being able to adapt quickly to things out of my control, were absolutely rooted in my experience experimenting with software and time spent playing real-time strategy games. I like to look at it as a digital evolution of chess—using the same philosophy of always looking five moves ahead.

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