With a generation of building engineers approaching retirement and a new generation of millennials entering the workforce, making sure your company and your properties are well taken care of in the future can be daunting. To be prepared for the next few years of hiring, new steps may need to be taken.  Many people are worried about a shortage of building engineers, but with a few precautions, you can get ahead.

Start Young 

In school, children are taught professions in general terms: nurse, doctor, lawyer, scientist.  Property manager and building engineer rarely make it into the slide show. In order to get students to enter the profession and the industry, companies must begin early. Dean of Economic Development at Chattahoochee Technical College Shane Evans said CTC works with children as young as elementary school age. They introduce the kids to the concept of property management and then, as they get older, the benefits of learning a trade and becoming a building engineer. 

By introducing the concept at a young age, the industry will have more people entering and curious about professional opportunities. Trade schools are a viable option for so many young people, it is important educate them about all of their career opportunities and options. Building engineers are vital to the industry, so the recruitment of new individuals is extremely important to the survival and progress of the CRE field.

Invest in Talent 

Vistage Chair Marc Borrelli said that the worry of training someone that might leave should be replaced with the concern of not training someone and them staying.  

Investing in talent and younger building engineers ensures the existence of chief engineers and facilities managers in the future. If someone is trained by a company and they end up leaving, then that company has still bettered the industry by supplying it with a qualified building engineer. Investing in the continuing education of younger staff not only entices them to be a part of an organization, but it also adds more value to the organization. Veterans of the industry are also given an opportunity for learning in this situation. In the world of training, veteran building engineers are key to the progress of a building.

Go Beyond Sales  

According to Managing Director for BG Talent Angela Covington, young professionals want to know more than how much money your company makes. She said to always remember that the candidate is interviewing you as much as you are interviewing the candidate. Picking a candidate that may lack a certification or a year of experience, but is hard-working, loyal and fits in with company culture, is going to be a better investment than a poor fit with more experience. When recruiting new building engineers, remember to think beyond figures and think about how that employee could fit in the company long-term and how you can grow them into an asset.  

Build Loyalty 

Loyalty is something that cannot be bought but is very attractive to perspective employees and current ones. Creating a company culture of loyalty will make great employees stay and new employees want to come.  Due to the close-knit nature of the industry, the reputation of a company will proceed them. Employees want to go somewhere they know will be taken care of and good employees want to stay where they feel respected.  Borrelli said to take the time, spend the money and think about what you can do for your employees so that you can ensure a positive company culture that will attract the building engineers of the future.  

Sources:  Managing Director for BG Talent Angela Covington [Email Interview]
Dean of Economic Development at Chattahoochee Technical College Shane Evans [Email Interview]
Vistage Chair Marc Borrelli [Public Speaking Appearance]
All sources served on a "Future-proofing your organization" panel at the 2019 BOMA Show