“Traditional construction companies and Generation Z, a winning duo”, a new CAPEB white paper

By the end of the decade, Generation Z, the generation born between 1997 and 2010, will represent one-third of the working population. It therefore constitutes the future of craft businesses in the building sector and an essential breeding ground for enabling these businesses to take up the challenge of energy renovation.

Our ability to meet the challenges of transition depends on the alliance of one and the other. On the one hand, Generation Z is the catalyst for the economic and digital transition essential to the building sector. On the other hand, building craftsmen are involved in the great challenges of the century, starting with the environmental question, a central subject for the younger generations and carry values that correspond to their aspirations.

Faced with this observation, the CAPEB publishes, in partnership with the CCCABTP, its White Book "Traditional construction companies and Generation Z, a winning duo", through which it intends to explain the innovative nature of its approach, and to stimulate a new dynamic capable of promoting this encounter between two worlds whose respective singularities and similar values are often too little highlighted and who are not aware that it would be in their interest to combine their respective skills.

Changing young people's view of the craft building business

The challenges facing craft building companies are immense, starting with those of environmental, digital and societal transition. Over the next few years, 90% of housing will have to be renovated to be less energy-intensive. However, these companies are already struggling to recruit qualified labour, which limits their potential. Dealing with these challenges therefore necessarily implies bringing together craft construction companies and young people currently in high school, in apprenticeship, in higher education, in retraining or in search of a professional future.

However, it is just as obvious that the 15-25 year olds, known as Generation Z, know little about or have a low-value vision of small business and construction. Admittedly, building craftsmen are the primary employers of apprentices. But the fact remains that many young people consider the sector as a “default” route, even a professional and social dead end. This situation is all the more regrettable as building professionals and younger generations have much to contribute and learn from each other.

Generations X, Y, Z... challenges to be met together

Building companies are indeed able to respond to the great aspirations of the younger generations. Like Generation Z, building craftsmen are active players in their city, their planet and their development. Like her, they intend to take an active and responsible part in it. They consider work as a passion, as a project of personal achievement that can help them progress and bring them a real quality of life on a daily basis.

Conversely, Generation Z has a lot to give to construction companies. It is this that will make it possible to integrate new skills and accelerate the modernization of building VSEs.

This is ultimately the whole purpose of White Book published today by CAPEB: highlighting what brings construction companies and Generation Z closer together, which should lead them to join forces to meet the challenges of the coming decades together. In this, CAPEB is faithful to its raison d'être and its mission: to support building craftsmen in the development of their activity and to promote the attractiveness of a sector fully committed to the major issues of today and of tomorrow.