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W O R K F O R M E / S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 10 C o n s t r u c t i o n / T r a d e s groundwork for young people to have the soft skills they need to become a better community member in general. "We can't do everything in six weeks to build the person," Sargent says. "All we can really do from a 'build-the-person' stand- point, for primarily imminent high school grads, is try to impose the idea that there is potentially more for them [in life] if they take control" and be intentional. One way of getting to that goal involves integrating financial literacy. And how does Sargent give kids a practical money lesson? By simulating what a 401(k) account might look like after decades of deposits. Essentially, every student is given a jar in which they can make a daily deposit up to $3.50 over the course of the six weeks. Then Sargent matches what the students have added, plus an extra 8% for interest. That $3.50 daily deposit can quickly turn into hundreds of dollars, which the company then gives to the students. When students think it's unfair that some students ultimately receive more than others, Sargent tells them it's "the cheapest lesson they'll ever learn." "I've long been a proponent for retire- ment planning and making sure that our employees, if they come and work 30 to 40 years in our industry, retire with a strong sense of financial dignity" regardless of if they stay with the company, Sargent says. But naturally, a dignified worker might be more willing to stay with a company, whether because of practical apprenticeship courses or being granted time to pursue additional certifications, rather than take a gamble elsewhere. Developing better benefits, like built-in schedule flexibility or opportunities to work on local job sites, and ensuring a smooth onboarding process with frequent communication will also be necessary for construction companies to remain competitive for worker retention going forward, Hapworth says. Either way, Brann — one of Sheridan's two current apprentices — isn't exactly on track to be part of the solution to the construction industry worker retention issue. He plans to save up enough money to buy a multi-unit property and, hope- fully, retire early. "I have a different view on what I want to do with my life [than] I feel other people do," Brann says. "By the time I'm 35, I'm hoping to be retired, and I'm gonna have two or three apartment buildings by then — and I'll be living in one of them." n « C O N T I N U E D F R O M P R E V I O U S PAG E By the time I'm 35, I'm hoping to be retired, and I'm gonna have two or three apartment buildings by then — and I'll be living in one of them. — David Brann Pittsfield high school student