You Don't Have a Hiring Problem.You Have a First 90 Days Problem.
Andrew Brown helps skilled trades organizations keep the people they just hired — by fixing what happens in the first 30–90 days.
Built from 1000's of conversations across the skilled trades workforce in North America.
Trusted By
With apprentices, tradespeople, educators, mentors, supervisors, executives, and workforce leaders across North America.
Real Rooms. Real Reactions.
Hiring Is Only the Beginning
The pipeline isn't broken at the top. It's leaking in the first 30–90 days.
Onboarding is inconsistent, expectations are never clear
Senior workers supervise, but aren't equipped to mentor
Frontline leadership sets the tone — and decides who stays
The next generation wants purpose, feedback, and a career path
The fix isn't more recruiting. It's a better first 90 days.
Live Appearances
Live Keynotes & Events
Alabama CTE Conference
NCPWB Conference
Zekelman Industries
Master Builders of Iowa
American Welding Society Summit
You Don't Have a Hiring Problem. You Have a First 90 Days Problem.
Recruiting gets people in the door. Leadership determines whether they stay.
Companies are spending more than ever to recruit skilled workers. But some of the biggest workforce problems begin after someone says yes.
Drawing from hundreds of conversations with tradespeople, apprentices, supervisors, and industry leaders, Andrew shows why the first 90 days are critical — and the simple leadership behaviors that help new employees build confidence, understand expectations, and see a future with the company.
"That was a fantastic presentation and one of the best we've seen."
- • 60-minute keynote
- • 90-minute keynote
- • Breakout sessions
- • Leadership workshops
- • Virtual presentations
- How to make success clear from the beginning
- Why orientation isn’t onboarding — and who owns Day 27
- How supervisors build confidence through feedback, responsibility, and early wins
- Why employees remember people, not processes
- Three actions leaders can put to work Monday morning
The Pathfinder Playbook
Helping students move from awareness to relevance
Students do not just need to know career pathways exist. They need to see themselves in them.
In this keynote, Andrew Brown helps CTE educators, counselors, administrators, and workforce leaders rethink how they introduce pathways, tell career stories, and help students take one clearer next step toward a future they can picture.
Through real stories, practical examples, and a simple framework, audiences learn how to move students from awareness to relevance, so pathways feel less like programs and more like possible futures.
- Why awareness alone is not enough
- How to help students see a future, not just a program
- How to make career pathways more relevant and visible
- How to improve the first moment a student has with a pathway
- How to help one student take one clearer next step
- How educators can become Pathfinders for students
Results following this message at the Alabama CTE conference
“We really do need to help them find their path, not the one we understand.”
“Show them the life, not just the job.”
- CTE conferences
- School districts
- Career tech centers
- Counselor conferences
- Workforce development events
- Apprenticeship programs
- Education leadership events
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.
- • 60-minute keynote
- • 90-minute keynote
- • Breakout sessions
- • Leadership workshops
- • Panel moderation
- • Virtual presentations
- 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.
- Educators and school administrators
- Career counselors
- Parents and students
- Community leaders and policymakers
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.
- • 60-minute keynote
- • 90-minute keynote
- • Breakout sessions
- • Leadership workshops
- • Panel moderation
- • Virtual presentations
- 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.
- Leaders
- Supervisors
- Educators
- HR Professionals, Talent Acquisition
Not Theory. Built From the Field.
The path into the skilled trades started after 9/11.
After 9/11, Andrew volunteered at Ground Zero, working side by side with tradespeople. That experience changed the way he saw the people who build, repair, and keep the world moving — and ultimately influenced the direction of his career.
What followed was more than two decades building a business alongside contractors and skilled tradespeople. Along the way, Andrew saw firsthand the challenges around recruiting, mentorship, retention, leadership, and developing the next generation of workers.
That perspective still shapes his work today.
- 24+ years in the industrial, construction, and skilled trades supply industry
- Host of The Lost Art of the Skilled Trades — 1000's of conversations with workers, apprentices, educators, and executives
- Keynotes delivered for associations, contractors, manufacturers, and CTE/workforce events
- Trusted by organizations including AWS, MCAA/NCPWB, Master Builders of Iowa, Zekelman Industries, FABTECH, and Alabama CTE
- Real field stories and practical takeaways — not generic workforce theory
Built for the Rooms That Move the Industry
Video Testimonials
Trusted by the People Building the Workforce
"Very informative. I really enjoyed how he presented his topic and brought it all together. He used real life examples and gave us useful tools that I will be implementing in my classroom."
"I wish I could show you the screenshot I just showed my boyfriend. I told him the speaker is really good."
"It may not be your main objective today, but you said to teach the lifestyle of the jobs in the program, and that set the lightbulb flashing. We teach skills and salary but never what to expect with the lifestyle."
"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."
"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."
"Informative, and knowledgeable on getting a keeping young talent."
Frequently Asked Questions
Bring Andrew to Your Next Event
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