The construction industry faces a critical workforce shortage, and one veteran leader argues that a major part of the solution is changing how America views career success. Kelvin Enfinger Jr., Vice President at Greenhut Construction and past chair of ABC North Florida, contends that for decades society has narrowly defined success as a four-year college degree, overlooking the valuable and prosperous careers available in the skilled trades.
Enfinger, who started as a carpenter and equipment operator before rising to an executive role, emphasizes that his journey is not unique. Across the country, many tradespeople become superintendents, project managers, and business owners. These careers offer excellent incomes and opportunities to support families, yet they are often not celebrated with the same enthusiasm as college enrollment.
The timing is crucial. An experienced generation of craftspeople is nearing retirement, while the demand for housing, hospitals, schools, and infrastructure grows. "We cannot build the next generation of American infrastructure without first building the next generation of the American workforce," Enfinger writes. This requires a cultural shift: when a student announces they want to be an electrician or welder, that choice should be met with the same pride as a college announcement. Parents, educators, and counselors must present these pathways as equal options.
The skilled trades also serve as a powerful entrepreneurial pipeline. A young person can learn a craft, gain experience, and eventually start their own company, representing economic mobility. Enfinger points to many successful construction businesses that began this way. However, solving the shortage requires systemic support: stronger career and technical education, expanded apprenticeships, and partnerships between schools and employers. Financial literacy and leadership training are also essential to help tradespeople transition into supervisory roles.
This is not an argument against college. It is an argument for options. Enfinger stresses that a student aiming to be an engineer should have a clear path, and so should a future electrician. Neither path should be deemed more successful merely because of a choice made at 18.
Enfinger's perspective is informed by his own career and his role at Greenhut Construction, an 80-year-old firm in Northwest Florida. He also hosts "Beyond the Build," the official podcast of ABC North Florida, the region's leading commercial construction association, which is part of the largest private provider network of apprenticeship programs in the country. This insight underscores the importance of investing in people, showing employees a career ladder, and creating opportunity.
The call to action is clear: America needs builders, makers, and problem-solvers. By widening the definition of success, the nation can attract the diverse talent required to construct its future. As Enfinger says, "America’s future will not only be crafted in boardrooms and classrooms. Someone still has to build it."
