How CareerStarter Is Transforming Connections in the Construction Industry

CareerStarter is a workforce tool that connects students, educators and employers in the construction industry. The tool empowers students interested in construction jobs to learn about various occupations and paths available to them. It provides employers exposure and access to talent and allows educators to help students fulfill their dreams. All of this is made possible through the generosity of donors to the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER).

Carla Thompson, Division Manager for Turner Industries, is involved with recruiting new hires and lauded CareerStarter for its ease of use. She talked about finding a student on the platform to fill a job position.

“One of my first CTE [Career and Technical Education] hires was from Texas City ISD [Independent School District]. He submitted his profile [through CareerStarter] to the profile page. This was three years ago, and I’m happy to say this young man is still working for us and doing a great job. That really excites me when I can see somebody start a career and then be able to stand back and watch their career grow,” she said with genuine satisfaction.

Creating Direct Connections

In 2022, NCCER launched CareerStarter, with donations from organizations like Bechtel Group Foundation, Procore Technologies, DEWALT and Owens Corning. The platform provides direct connections between entry-level job seekers, local training programs and employers.

The CareerStarter tool was developed because NCCER identified a need to bridge the gap between young people and the construction industry. NCCER discovered that students didn’t know how to enter the industry unless they knew someone who was already working in the field. CareerStarter aimed to solve that problem and help the industry fill entry-level positions by connecting to a new pipeline of talent.

Creating a CareerStarter account opens the door to a vibrant community and a powerful workforce tool. Users can instantly access industry trends and news through an engaging newsfeed and discover a host of opportunities to connect with skilled trades professionals. This free platform empowers young people and industry leaders to connect in meaningful relationships, share knowledge and collaborate on exciting projects.

Users found immediate success and the platform received praise from a wide cross-section of the construction industry.

“My initial thoughts of this platform were, ‘Where have you been?’” said Thompson.

“We finally have something that we’re going to be able to use to find young people after they leave high school. I am a huge supporter of NCCER. I know everything they do is with the greatest integrity and the security is going to be there. It’s going to be a safe platform for me to use when I’m doing searches for candidates,” she said.

Bridging the Gap Between Interest and a Construction Career

In 2024, NCCER used CareerStarter to support Community Construction Academies (CCA). These fast-track bootcamp style training programs, sponsored by Lowe’s Foundation, utilized CareerStarter to help graduates find work in their local communities.

Dralon Roy, a student at the Golden Triangle Empowerment Center in Texas, participated in CCA and is an example of the impact the platform can have. Roy gained valuable insight into the construction industry by using CareerStarter. He utilized the tool as part of his career search and was able to learn about opportunities in his community and find a job in the industry.

“I found my experience with CareerStarter to be extremely productive,” Roy said. “The website is very informative and resourceful and has helped me a great deal in the time that I’ve spent using it. I would definitely recommend CareerStarter to anyone entering the industry.”

At the Forefront of Innovation

In January of 2024, CareerStarter went through a major platform upgrade to enhance its functionality. Thanks to the continued generosity from Procore Technologies and Owens Corning, NCCER updated the end-user experience, improved functionality and launched a mobile app. CareerStarter is now more intuitive to navigate with a streamlined look and feel that benefits users.

“I was absolutely blown away by the new CareerStarter platform — we haven’t seen anything as good as this as far as workforce development platforms go!” acknowledged Kevin Molloy, Senior Social Impact Coordinator with Procore.

Shaping the Future

CareerStarter is revolutionizing how students, educators and employers connect in the construction industry. By bridging the gap between interest and opportunity, the platform helps young people find entry-level jobs while providing educators and contractors with valuable workforce tools. With continued innovation and support from industry leaders, CareerStarter is poised to shape the future of construction for years to come.

CareerStarter is free to join for all users thanks to the generosity of our donors. To sign up, click here.