Talent Planning Starts Before You’re Hiring

Finding good people in construction is getting harder—and waiting until a position opens is no longer a winning strategy.

In Part 1 of ABC Western Michigan’s two-part webinar series, Strengthen Your Hiring & Workforce Strategy, industry partners from CTC Talent Partners walk through how contractors can plan ahead, expand their candidate pool, and avoid falling behind as retirements accelerate and project backlogs grow.

Together, Parts 1 and Part 2 provide a practical roadmap—from workforce planning to hiring with confidence.

Why Talent Planning Matters Right Now

Construction is facing a workforce math problem:
  • A large portion of the industry is approaching retirement
  • Fewer people are entering the trades
  • Many contractors are carrying multi-year backlogs
  • Nearly every firm reports difficulty finding qualified workers

The result? Delayed projects, increased stress on teams, and missed growth opportunities.

This session focuses on what contractors can do now—not someday—to get ahead of the problem.
 
What You’ll Learn in Part 1
In the above webinar recording, you’ll learn how to:
  • Forecast retirements and plan for future staffing needs
  • Align workforce planning with project workload and backlog
  • Build a continuous talent pipeline instead of hiring reactively
  • Expand your candidate pool by focusing on transferable skills
  • Learn from real contractor success stories hiring outside traditional paths
The strategies shared are practical, proven, and already being used by contractors across the Midwest.
 
Real-World Examples, Not Theory
Rather than generic hiring advice, the session highlights real contractor success stories—including companies that:
  • Hired estimators from adjacent trades
  • Recruited project managers from outside specialty silos
  • Found strong long-term hires after exhausting traditional job boards
The common theme: flexibility, clarity, and a willingness to train for fit.
 
What’s Next: Part 2 of the Series

Planning is critical—but execution matters just as much.

See Part 2: Running an Optimal Interview & Hiring Process, which focuses on building a clear, consistent hiring system that improves candidate experience and leads to stronger long-term hires.

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