There is a concern in the electrical construction industry about the number of electricians nearing retirement age in the next 10 years and a lack of interest in the field from younger generations. According to “Addressing a Changing Trade Workforce: Strategies For Electrical Contractors,” a recent report from ELECTRI International* that was conducted by Purdue University and written by Anthony E. Sparkling, this could have a great effect on how companies adopt and integrate the digital tools into their current process.

As an industry, we are challenged by combining three different generations: those under 30, who are prone to easy tech adoption; those aged 30-49, who are a little slower at tech adoption but eager to learn; and workers over 50, who tend to lean on the previous two for their technology needs. With the decreasing workforce and the increased technology available to the industry, it is critical to improve any manual processes we can. The use of BIM/VDC, cloud work sharing and tablets are just a few examples.

The most common example used in the field would be tablets. If you were to put an iPad in a young electrician’s hands and tell them to download a set of construction documents from the cloud, they would need very little instruction. Put that same iPad in the hands of an electrician who is a little more seasoned and give them the same task, and it may take them a little more time. This is because the younger electrician has potentially been holding an iPad since they were a child, even given one at school for lessons or test-taking.

The younger electrician also has the potential to be exposed to the same gaming computers that are used for BIM/VDC to create models. If you mention the phrase “WASD keys” to an electrician with 35 years of field experience, they will probably raise an eyebrow; mention it to an electrician that has just started their apprenticeship, and chances are they will know that is how you maneuver in PC-based games.

So how does this tie to the electrical industry? These are the same four keys on a keyboard—W, A, S and D—that can be used in Navisworks, a model viewer used in the field for 3D-modeled projects.

Exposing this technology to high school aged kids through outreach programs such as the Boys and Girls Club and high school career fairs can show people coming out of school that the electrical construction field uses the technology they use every day. The 35- to 45-year-old electricians have the trade knowledge, and workers under 25 have the technology knowledge. When these skills are combined, there can be an exchange of knowledge that can benefit all involved and raise the industry as a whole. This younger generation could be an untapped resource for future electricians, and ones that already has a step up on the technology ladder.

*Editor's Note: To download the report, you will need to create a free account with ELECTRI International or log in to your existing account.