Quick take
We’re in a long-term workforce predicament, not a short-term problem: fewer young people are entering the labor force while experienced workers retire. If industries keep competing for the same small pool of candidates, the talent crunch will only intensify. The answer isn’t just more recruiting—it’s early-talent development built with schools, measured with the right data, and scaled through coalitions.
Why this matters now
Brett Pawlowski has spent years at the intersection of education and employment, helping employers and schools actually work together—through advisory boards, work-based learning systems, and statewide engagement strategies. His white paper, “Investing in the Future,” argues that most employer outreach skips the most important stage of the pipeline: awareness.
“A talent pipeline can only be as large as its base.”
When birth rates fall and retirements rise, endlessly “re-skilling” the same adults isn’t enough. We must widen the top of the funnel—and then nurture students all the way to entry-level roles.
The “black box” in our workforce system
For decades, workforce policy has largely ignored high school, focusing almost exclusively on postsecondary programs and adult upskilling. Brett calls this the black box: talent is invisible until it shows up in college or at the hiring door. That used to “work” when the labor pool was deep. It doesn’t anymore.
- Yesterday’s reality: huge cohorts, leaky pipelines didn’t hurt as much.
- Today’s reality: smaller cohorts, higher skill demands, accelerating retirements.
- Result: persistent, widening gaps—especially in construction, manufacturing, and trucking/supply chain.
A simple model for early-talent development
Brett breaks the early-talent journey into three phases:
- Awareness – students know your industry exists and why it’s compelling.
- Engagement – students experience it: guest talks, tours, CTSOs (e.g., FFA, SkillsUSA), job shadows, projects.
- Recruitment – internships, youth apprenticeships, dual credit, and entry roles that convert interest into employment.
Where most employers fall short: Awareness. You can’t recruit or retain students who never hear about you, never meet your people, and never see themselves in your work.
High-impact activities (that don’t break the budget)
Awareness
- Guest speaking in CTE classes (in person or virtual)
- Authentic career days (bring equipment, tools, or a simulator)
- Social proof: employees’ career stories, “day-in-the-life” videos
- Partnering with CTSOs for state or national events
Engagement
- Facility tours and ride-alongs (where appropriate)
- Job shadows, micro-internships, and educator externships
- Mentoring/judging student competitions; sponsoring team projects
Recruitment
- Youth apprenticeships and paid internships aligned to coursework
- Advisory board participation to keep programs industry-relevant
- Clear on-ramps: Class C/Class B/Class A pathways, diesel tech pre-apprenticeships, logistics certifications, etc.
Tip: Many of these activities cost more time than money. Start with one school; build a repeatable playbook.
The surprising ROI of volunteering
Research from the “cause marketing” world (e.g., Engage for Good) shows strong internal returns when companies enable on-the-clock volunteering:
- Higher employee satisfaction and motivation
- Better retention and longer tenure
- Stronger employer brand—especially with Gen Z, who value civic-minded companies
And it’s fun. As Brett put it: “Kids are fun.” Many professionals rediscover pride in their craft when they mentor students. (At NGT, we see this every year at FFA—drivers and techs leave energized.)
Coalitions: the force multiplier
Most companies—even big ones—can’t build the whole pipeline alone. That’s where coalitions matter:
- Trade associations & chambers: pooled time and investment, shared content, unified outreach
- Workforce & economic development groups: coordination across employers/schools
- Industry-specific alliances: shared campaigns and credentials (e.g., manufacturing and welding have done this well)
This is why Next Gen Trucking exists: to connect employers, educators, and resources so the whole industry benefits instead of each company reinventing the wheel.
“Show me the ROI”: what to measure
Today, few organizations have a full, long-term measurement system in place. Brett’s paper proposes a starting framework that uses data schools already collect plus internal employer metrics.
Track with your school partners
- CTE enrollment changes following awareness activities
- Retention in CTE sequences after mentoring, job shadows, or CTSO engagement
- Completion rates (concentrators/completers)
- Postsecondary continuation in aligned programs
- Placement into related work-based learning, apprenticeships, or entry roles
Track internally
- Time-to-fill and cost-per-hire for entry roles
- New-hire retention and performance vs. non-pipeline hires
- Employee engagement/retention among volunteers
- Brand lift indicators (event sign-ups, referral volume, campus inquiries)
Start small, be consistent, and iterate. You don’t need a perfect dashboard to begin—you need a baseline and a habit.
Early wins to keep momentum
- Volunteer participation up and positive pulse-survey results
- A repeatable school presentation + tour + shadow “kit”
- A growing contact list of CTE teachers and CTSO advisors
- A first youth apprenticeship or internship cohort that converts
- Advisory board seats at local high schools and community colleges
Small, steady wins build credibility—inside your company and with education partners.
What “success” could look like in 10 years
Brett is realistic: demographics won’t reverse overnight. But if more employers invest in awareness + engagement + recruitment, industries will:
- Compete less on poaching, more on pipeline creation
- See shorter time-to-fill and better retention in entry roles
- Enjoy stronger public perception and employee pride
- Have the data to prove early-talent investment pays off
We may not fully “solve” the predicament, but we can optimize the pipeline and drastically improve outcomes.
First steps for employers
- Join a coalition (like Next Gen Trucking) to plug into resources, events, and a national network.
- Adopt a school (secondary and postsecondary). Ask to guest speak, host a tour, and sit on the program advisory board.
- Pilot one engagement (e.g., five job shadows per quarter) and track simple before/after metrics.
- Activate volunteers with clear roles and on-the-clock permission. Recognize them publicly.
- Measure something—enrollment upticks, application volume, apprentice conversions, or retention—and share wins.
Tools & resources mentioned
- Brett’s papers & contact: Roundhouse Partnerships resources page (search: “Roundhouse Partnerships Brett Pawlowski”).
- Behavioral fit assessments for students: Free tools on the Next Gen Trucking website to explore fit for professional driver and diesel tech pathways.
- CTSOs to engage: FFA, SkillsUSA, and others with state and national conferences that welcome industry judges, mentors, and sponsors.
Final word
Bridging industry and education isn’t “nice to have.” It’s the strategy for a sustainable workforce. Start at the top of the funnel, nurture students through real experiences, and recruit from relationships you’ve built—not just job posts you’ve paid for.
If you’re in trucking or the broader supply chain, we’d love to help you get started, connect you to schools, and build your early-talent playbook—together.
NextGen Talks is made possible by our supporters: Performance Food Group, Descartes, ACT 1, Averitt, DHL Supply Chain (Fusion), Gordon Food Service, KKW Trucking, Louisville Paving & Construction, Tenstreet, Trimble, and Usher Transport. Thank you for investing in tomorrow’s workforce.