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Mentorship Is the Missing Link
Why technical training without mentorship fails — and how to build a mentorship system that actually scales.
Keynote Speaker · Workforce Strategist
You Don't Have a Hiring Problem.You Have a First 90 Days Problem.
Andrew Brown helps skilled trades organizations improve retention through better mentorship, onboarding, and culture.Andrew Brown helps skilled trades associations, contractors, manufacturers, CTE leaders, and workforce organizations improve retention through better mentorship, onboarding, and workforce culture.
Based on over 1000+ conversations across the skilled trades workforce.Based on over 1000+ conversations with contractors, manufacturers, apprentices, educators, executives, and workforce leaders across North America.
See Andrew On Stage
Real Rooms. Real Reactions.
Trusted On Stage By
Industry Leaders & National Associations
American Welding Society
MCAA Contractors
Master Builders of Iowa
Zekelman Industries
FABTECH Welding Show
Alabama CTE Conference
Insights from 1000's of conversations across the skilled trades industry — contractors, manufacturers, educators, apprentices, workforce leaders, and trade associations from across North America.
Live Appearances
Live Keynotes & Events
Captured moments from industry stages where the message meets the moment.
NCPWB Conference
Main Stage
Zekelman Industries
Leadership Event
Master Builders of Iowa
Winter Conference
American Welding Society Summit
Main Stage
Best Fit For
Built for the Rooms Solving the Workforce Problem
Skilled Trades Associations
Construction Conferences
Manufacturing Events
Aviation Maintenance Events
CTE & Workforce Development Conferences
Contractor Leadership Meetings
Apprenticeship & Training Organizations
HR, Talent & Retention Teams
The Real Problem
Why Skilled Trades Companies Keep Losing New Hires
The pipeline isn't broken at the top. It's leaking in the first 90 days.
Companies spend thousands recruiting apprentices and entry-level workers. Many leave before they ever become productive.
The challenge is no longer awareness. The challenge is retention.
New workers are entering without clear expectations
Senior workers are not always equipped to mentor
Onboarding is inconsistent across teams and locations
Gen Z wants purpose, feedback, and a visible path forward
Companies are solving awareness — but losing people after entry
The fix isn't more recruiting. It's a better first 90 days.
Audience Takeaways
What Audiences Walk Away With
Why young workers leave
A clearer understanding of the real reasons new hires walk away in the first 90 days.
Better mentorship
Practical ways to equip senior workers to mentor — not just supervise.
First 90 days, redesigned
A better onboarding experience that gets new hires bought in fast.
Career pathways
A framework for turning early interest into long-term skilled trades careers.
Language for Gen Z
How leaders, supervisors, and educators can actually connect with the next generation.
Outcomes
What Organizations Gain
Buyers purchase outcomes, not speeches. Here's what your team walks away with.
Better retention conversations
Stronger mentorship culture
Improved onboarding practices
More engaged young workers
Better communication across generations
Clearer career pathways
Signature Keynote
You Don't Have a Hiring Problem. You Have a First 90 Days Problem.
How to Build a Skilled Trades Workforce That Stays Through Better Mentorship, Onboarding, and Culture.
This keynote helps associations, contractors, manufacturers, and workforce leaders understand the real reasons young people enter the trades — and why too many leave before they ever have a chance to succeed.
Available Formats
- • 60-minute keynote
- • 90-minute keynote
- • Breakout sessions
- • Leadership workshops
- • Panel moderation
- • Virtual presentations
Talk Takeaways
- Why awareness alone is not enough
- How mentorship changes retention
- What Gen Z needs from supervisors and leaders
- How to create clearer career pathways
- How to modernize culture without weakening standards
60–90
Min Keynote
100%
Customizable
In-person & Virtual
Format
Keynote
Closing the Skilled Trades Gap: Engaging the Next Generation
The skilled trades are the backbone of our economy, yet they face a growing workforce crisis. With hundreds of thousands of tradespeople retiring in the next decade, and too few young people entering the pipeline, the gap is widening. This talk highlights the urgency of the issue and shares proven strategies to attract, inspire, and retain Gen Z (ages 13–28). Through stories, data, and a practical 5-step framework, Andrew Brown shows how businesses, schools, and communities can rebuild respect for the trades and secure the next generation of talent.
Available Formats
- • 60-minute keynote
- • 90-minute keynote
- • Breakout sessions
- • Leadership workshops
- • Panel moderation
- • Virtual presentations
What You'll Gain
- A clear picture of the skilled trades shortage and its impact on our economy and communities.
- Insights into what motivates Gen Z — and why perception is often the real barrier.
- The 5-step playbook (Awaken, Explore, Choose, Prepare, Elevate) for building a sustainable pipeline.
- Real success stories from young tradespeople and programs that are working today.
- Practical actions you can take tomorrow: mentorship, storytelling, social media, and school outreach.
Ideal Audience
- Educators and school administrators
- Career counselors
- Parents and students
- Community leaders and policymakers
Keynote
Bridging the Generational Divide in Construction
The construction industry is facing one of the biggest transitions in its history. Nearly 40% of today’s workforce will retire in the next decade, while Gen Z is entering the trades with new values, tools, and expectations. That shift is creating friction on jobsites — but also an opportunity.
Through stories and lessons gathered from hundreds of conversations with tradespeople, Andrew Brown shares how to connect veteran experience with next-gen energy to build stronger, more collaborative teams.
Available Formats
- • 60-minute keynote
- • 90-minute keynote
- • Breakout sessions
- • Leadership workshops
- • Panel moderation
- • Virtual presentations
What You'll Gain
- The key motivators, communication styles, and work values of each generation in today’s construction workforce.
- Why “work ethic” and “work-life balance” are often misunderstood and how to bridge those perspectives.
- Proven strategies for knowledge transfer through mentorship, storytelling, and shared goals.
- How to build mutual respect and teamwork between veterans and younger workers.
Ideal Audience
- Leaders
- Supervisors
- Educators
- HR Professionals, Talent Acquisition
More Speaking Topics
Built for Workforce Leaders
02
How to Attract Gen Z Into the Trades
Move beyond awareness campaigns. Build the message, environment, and pathways that bring young workers in.
03
Building a Culture Young Workers Want to Stay In
Modernize workplace culture without lowering the standards that make the skilled trades great.
Why Event Planners Book Andrew
Not Theory. Built From the Field.
Andrew is not speaking from theory. His keynotes are built from hundreds of real conversations with apprentices, contractors, manufacturers, educators, aviation leaders, association executives, and workforce teams across North America.
- Host of The Lost Art of the Skilled Trades
- 1000's of workforce conversations across the skilled trades
- Spoken for industry associations, contractors, manufacturers, and education/workforce events
- Trusted by organizations including AWS, MCAA/NCPWB, Master Builders of Iowa, Zekelman Industries, FABTECH, and Alabama CTE
- Message focused on retention, mentorship, onboarding, and the first 90 days
Meet Andrew
Workforce Insights From 1000's of Conversations Across the Skilled Trades
Andrew Brown is a keynote speaker, workforce strategist, and host of The Lost Art of the Skilled Trades. His keynotes are built on insights from 1000's of conversations across the skilled trades industry — with contractors, manufacturers, educators, apprentices, workforce leaders, trade associations, and executives from across North America.
Want to learn more about Andrew's work beyond the stage? Visit andrewbrown.net.
1000's
Interviews
24+
Years in Industry
100s
Leaders Engaged
The Human Side of the Trades
Apprenticeship Teaches the Trade.Mentorship Builds the Tradesperson.
The next generation isn't leaving because the work is too hard. They're leaving because no one showed them they belonged. Andrew helps foremen become mentors, leaders become coaches, and crews become the kind of culture younger workers actually want to stay in.
From Foreman to Mentor
Equip your senior tradespeople with the language, patience, and intent to develop apprentices instead of just managing them.
Cultures Worth Staying In
Build crews where younger workers feel seen, challenged, and respected — the real reason retention sticks past year one.
Leadership Conversations
Open the candid dialogue between generations that turns a job into a craft, and a paycheck into a career.
"One of the biggest workforce challenges facing the trades isn't recruiting. It's mentorship."
Who Books Andrew
Built for the Rooms That Move the Industry
Trade Associations
Contractors
Manufacturers
Workforce Organizations
Apprenticeship Programs
Corporate Leadership Meetings
In Their Words
Video Testimonials
Event organizers and attendees on what it's like to bring Andrew in.
What Hosts Say
Trusted by the People Building the Workforce
"Andrew's message resonated strongly with our audience. The mentorship and workforce development themes especially connected with attendees and sparked important conversations throughout the conference. His message is highly relevant to the challenges the skilled trades industry is facing today."
Ron King
"Really explains the importance of mentoring people in the field you operate in. In order to hopefully retain new people, you must mentor them or have a mentor. Without mentoring people generally tend to wonder and not follow through."
Gerald Dasbach
"Informative, and knowledgeable on getting a keeping young talent."
Joe Cosentini
"Very informative on letting the group understanding the importance of inspiring the youth."
Jeff Knutson
"Confirms what we are doing is working and what we could do even better."
Tiff
"It was good. Respectfully after being an instructor at local 636 in Detroit Mi for 20 years I believe the students need prerequisites before entering the trades. Prerequisites include, knowing how to listen, knowing how to finish a task, do all the work, LISTEN, be on time. Where do kids learn this? Parenting. Parenting has been slacking in these areas. Kids will be way more successful, willing to stay and put in the hard work the trades require."
Michael Wall
FAQ
Event Planner Questions
Ready to Book Andrew for Your Event?
Tell us about your event and Andrew's team will respond within 24 hours.