Essays focus on reaching the next generation of Boilermakers

By Angelina Anjelika Bird

Stepdaughter of Cory Hook, Local 359, Vancouver, British Columbia

From the Classroom to the Workforce: A Discussion of the Ever-Changing World of Recruitment Within the Boilermakers Union

Unionism is a concept that has rapidly been expanding within the United States and Canada. Originally, unions were created as a way to protect employee rights and prevent exploitation. However, they were short lived as they began to appear in 18th century Britain and did not gain popularity until the Industrial Revolution in the following century. In the present day, labour unions are a way for workers to come together for common goals such as better pay, or to prevent mistreatment in the workforce, and have become a fast-growing trend throughout North American countries. In order for the Boilermakers Union to capitalize on this and have the most profound success with the generations currently entering high school and adulthood, there are a few strategies they could utilize. Extending their marketing, furthering personal engagement, and reaching the minds of students while they are young, are all factors which can increase their abilities to reach a younger demographic.

The world of marketing has experienced an incredibly drastic shift over the course of the last three decades as the internet has been made popular. While that may not seem important for jobs which are not involved in the tech industry or need international outreach, it would actually be tremendously important for labour unions like the Boilermakers Union to put more attention and effort into growing their online presence. Focusing on the younger generations currently entering the workforce or beginning to think of their desired career path means that the expansion of media in their everyday lives is something that is important to take into account. By creating social media accounts to advertise their union and provide informational links on the process of joining along with qualifications will boost interest and get them interested without much actual planning or expenses needed.

Despite social media being a useful tool to gain recognition to a widespread audience with minimal effort, it is also more suitable for older age groups who have already chosen a career in trades and are now merely struggling with where to go after graduation. Furthermore, hosting career days, attending school assemblies, and introducing the path of trades via presentations to create personal connections with students early on, is crucial for getting people interested in the idea of pursuing those studies throughout their high school career. Presenting the pros and cons in a realistic manner whilst also encouraging the growth of middle school and high school children not only provides them with better engagement with the craft but also causes them to develop intrigue quickly.

Overall, in addition to the current strategies the Boilermakers Union utilizes to grasp the attention of young individuals, advancing their social media internet presence and extending their connection to local communities by presenting information at assemblies or career events will allow them to prosper in the new age of unionism. These strategies will not only cause them to thrive in attaining the attention of their target demographic but will also form young adults devoted to the craft of trades.

By Jenna Madru

Daughter of Joseph Madru, Local 1851, Springfield, Massachusetts

As the United States and Canada have modernized with the rise of technology, it has been difficult to ignore the sheer decrease in blue-collar employment in recent years. Truth be told, this shift in the workplace may be explained by societal pressure placed on today’s youth to earn college degrees. Workers’ unions such as the Boilermakers Union have created a sense of security around those employed in the trades and juxtapose the idea that a college degree is the only path to success. The current trend of unionism has been critical to promoting and protecting our skilled workers. The Boilermakers Union's best bet to capitalize on this trend is to invest in organizations such as SkillsUSA, Career and Technical Education (CTE), or Youth Advisory Boards. It is with the proper funds and time investment in education that the next generation will join the trades and help return us to a traditional workforce.

To get more young people involved in trades, you must get them interested before they are influenced by college talk. I know several high schools surrounding mine that host SkillsUSA chapters and CTE programs, but I am also conscious that the kids in these programs are usually not recruited for them. In hindsight, I am trying to say that often the only kids informed of these programs are already in trade career paths. In my personal experience with SkillsUSA through a printmaking course I took, I have seen the passion that these young people have for trades. Still, there’s room for promotion. The Boilermakers Union should partner with SkillsUSA and CTE programs to host fairs and information sessions in individual high schools. It is with this promotion that kids who are hesitant to reach out or those who have never heard of going into trades will join and be a critical part of the force once they graduate high school.

Furthermore, programs such as a Boilermakers Youth Advisory Board may help promote youth interest and recruitment. As someone in a District Attorney’s YAB, I have benefitted from meeting weekly with a variety of individuals from my district to discuss issues regarding drug use in my community. Similarly, the Boilermakers Union should highlight districts with low blue-collar employment and curate a board of teens with interest in the trades. With this board, youth may meet and discuss the trades and ways to market them to their communities. After all, their peers may be more receptive to joining the trades when hearing about how great it is from someone their age.

Although, it truly is impressive to be able to run applications such as Python, or even calculate financial costs digitally, work in the trades surrounds us and is in high need. Unions have offered fair wages and benefits that are not yet known to a lot of society. The rise of unions may give the Boilermakers Union a great advantage to invest in youth trade services and programs to recruit the next generation of skilled trade workers.