8 techniques to attract and retain young talent in quarry

To make quarry in the quarry, that is not enough to make young people want to do it.

And yet, you who own or manage a quarry know that the aggregates industry has a lot to offer. 

But how to make a quarry attractive to young people?
In this article, Synaxe gives you all the keys to attracting new talents, and of course keeping them!

On the program:

• Why are materials and construction trades less attractive to young people?
• How to attract young people to the industry quarries ?
• How to keep young talent in your company?

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Why are materials and construction trades less attractive to young people?

An image deficit

This is certainly the number one problem: the construction industry suffers from a poor image. Manual jobs are often devalued and fewer and fewer young people are considering them. In particular within the quarries of stone, which are little known by the general public.

Yet France is home to more than 8,000 sites, employing a total of more than 75,000 people!

Today, many employees are retiring and companies cannot find enough candidates to take over...

And yet, the materials and construction trades promise a great quarry.

Within companies, there are many opportunities for development.

Not to mention salaries, which are rising faster than the national average - between 2% and 3% each year.

A physically demanding job

Carrying heavy loads, bad posture, exposure to bad weather... Working in a quarry, is to expose oneself to an intense physical effort. And it is understandable that this is not to everyone's taste!

However, materials and construction jobs are not limited to physical work. Some positions are focused on analysis or coordination, and technicians must mobilize a wide range of skills.

In addition, technological advances have made it possible to lighten the physical workload. Workers have access to modern machines. Today, there is real work on reducing loads or raising awareness of gestures and postures.

The integration of women

It's hard to deny that the construction industry is a predominantly male environment: women represent 12.4% of employees in 2020. And quarries is no exception... But the sector is actively seeking to change things!

Today, there are more and more women in positions such as works manager or land and environment manager.

Even among the manual trades, physical strength is becoming secondary to precision and skill. Technological developments play a key role. For example, driving heavy machinery is more accessible, and power and pneumatic tools make stone work easier.

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How to attract young people to the industry quarries ?

Reduce the image of the quarry

Conveying the right image is a key issue in making quarry attractive to young people. Companies must highlight the importance of the concrete and aggregates industries.

There is no lack of arguments! The extracted materials are used to construct roads, buildings, street furniture, prefabricated construction elements, decorative works, and much more. 

The quarry is a modern industry that uses complex machinery and automated control systems. With 8,000 sites spread throughout the country, the prospects for quarry are numerous and hiring forecasts are optimistic.

But what can be done in concrete terms to attract talent? It is up to companies to deconstruct prejudices and promote the professions in the sector. A real awareness campaign must be conducted, and for this, several solutions are available to you:

• organize open houses;
• intervene in schools ;
• set up MOOCs and online training courses;
• or publish in the press and on social networks.

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Synaxe is trying to contribute to this collective effort through its hashtag #ProudOfOurCareers and by highlighting positive initiatives in the sector.

Present the diversity of the professions

The companies must also present to the public the wide range of professions that give life to quarries stone: exploitation of deposits, production, delivery to construction sites, maintenance of equipment, environmental monitoring, etc.

There are many ways to practice these professions, and you must promote them! Some training courses lead directly to the heart of the quarries, such as the CAP and vocational baccalaureate courses. They offer many outlets: extraction, stone cutting, machine maintenance, etc. Once in the field, employees can acquire new qualifications.

There are other ways to access quarries. For example, the BTS in applied geology at the Henri Loritz high school in Nancy is a rare training program, but its outlets are assured. Otherwise, specialized bachelor's and master's degrees (chemistry, geology, environment, etc.) stand out thanks to the long internships required during the course. Finally, universities and engineering schools offer training in geology, materials studies and sustainable development.

But how to make these jobs known? Do not hesitate to diversify the means:

• Participate in job search and work-study forums organized by schools;
• organize meetings and exchanges with high school classes;
• show your quarry to young people;
• promote the industry's professions via the media and social networks.

Focus on environmental concerns

Today, corporate social responsibility (CSR) plays a big role in a company's image. This is particularly true in the industry of quarries, which has a reputation for pollution.

According to the CCCA-BTP (Comité de concertation et de coordination de l'apprentissage du bâtiment et des travaux publics), 6 out of 10 young people give priority to CSR policy over salary when hiring. The professions related to energy renovation attract students, and that is why we are seeing calls for projects to innovate in training.

It has become essential to integrate environmental concerns into the exploitation of mineral substances, and to be aware of its impact on water, air and landscape.

Don't fall behind!

Today, companies are committed to environmental progress. They call on landscape architects to redevelop quarries after operation in order to integrate them into the ecological and landscape network. In addition, the rational management of resources and the use of recycled demolition materials are making steady progress.

To integrate these new issues into your company, you can, for example, add a CSR project to the job description of new employees. Do not hesitate to share your actions on social networks.

But be careful: your commitment must be real. Beware of greenwashing! Young people take environmental issues very seriously.

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Multiplying the channels to make yourself known

To make your quarry attractive to young people, you must make yourself known! To do this, the ideal is to use several recruitment channels:

• Temporary employment agencies: although their cost is high, they allow the employee to be tested over several weeks, which is particularly interesting in the construction sector;
• Recruitment firms: they allow you to find the ideal profile. Some firms are specialized in the construction industry;
• advertising sites (Le Bon Coin, Indeed, job-btp, etc.): posting an ad can sometimes find interesting candidates, but it is a one-time solution;
• Social networks: they require a long-term commitment, but they can help you give your company a good image.

You can also apply directly to the schools that provide the training. Here are some schools that can be excellent recruitment channels:

• professional baccalaureates in public works;
• the BTS in applied geology at the Lycée Henri Loritz;
• the BTS in applied geology of the CFA UNICEM Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes ;
• IMT Mines Alès via its Public Works specialization;
• IMT Mines Alès via its Underground Engineering and Mineral Resources Exploitation (ISERM) program;
• the CAP Quarry Manager of UNICEM.

How to keep young talent in your company?

Develop opportunities for the development of quarry

A quarry aggregates operation can last up to 30 years, so it offers sustainable employment. Companies often manage several operating sites, which allows a certain professional mobility.

To keep young talent in your company, you must offer them the opportunity to grow professionally:

• or vertically to become a manager;
• or horizontally to gain expertise or change fields.

To do this, it is essential to continually train your teams and encourage internal promotion. Think about the validation of acquired experience (VAE), which allows your employees to obtain professional qualification certificates (CQP) without going through a full training course. You can also offer them the opportunity to try out a new position, for example during maternity leave.

To promote these alternatives, highlight the career paths of employees who have been able to evolve within the company. You can organize meetings, or share videos on your intranet.

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Giving apprenticeships a chance

Apprenticeship is an opportunity for young workers, but also for you! It is an excellent way to pass on your company's know-how and interpersonal skills... And potentially to recruit an employee already trained in your methods at the end of the apprenticeship period. On his side, the apprentice can also bring new practices learned during his training. An opportunity to modernize your company.

Let's not forget the financial aid provided by apprenticeship: exemption from social security contributions on the apprentice's salary, apprenticeship bonus, tax credit...

However, don't take things lightly. If you decide to take on an apprentice, you'll need to give them time! Don't expect to gain an extra set of hands - they still need to learn.

Provide a pleasant work environment

To make your quarry attractive to young people, you need to stand out. And new candidates are increasingly looking for a healthy and pleasant work environment. So much the better: quarries are generally on a human scale and the teams rarely exceed 10 people. Protect this family atmosphere by putting people at the center of your management.

When recruiting, focus on interpersonal skills and choose people who are in line with your company's values. Once hired, the employee must feel that you trust him or her: give him or her responsibilities, encourage transparency, acknowledge your mistakes, let him or her manage his or her own time, offer telecommuting when possible, organize internal events... This is how he or she will blossom in his or her work and will be able to offer his or her best.

Sometimes, an outside eye can be very useful to improve the atmosphere of your company. Coaches and consulting firms will help you work on this aspect to boost your performance.

Be prepared to invest

In the same vein, you must be ready to invest the necessary money to make your quarry attractive to young people. Enhance the salary of your teams: these are physical jobs, which require specific training! A good employee does not cost much, he/she makes money. Your teams are the engine of your company.

Assess your needs accurately so that job descriptions are as detailed as possible. The salary should reflect your employee's experience, skills and qualifications. You can also establish a bonus system to reward your employees' commitment.

In addition, new generations are safety conscious. Conduct awareness training and invest in high-performance machines and protective equipment. Also keep an eye on new technologies, such as exoskeletons. In addition to protecting workers, they will modernize your company's image.

Making the shift to digital

To meet new industry needs, the building materials industry is going digital. Don't be left behind! Internal project management, communication tools (e.g. Slack), presence on social networks, telecommuting... Digital offers many opportunities to the development of your company.

Especially since young people are generally more comfortable with these new tools! You can entrust them with a large-scale project, such as the implementation of a CRM or a project management tool.

Specialized in the aggregates and concrete industries, Synaxe offers concrete digital solutions. For 20 years, we have been supporting our customers in the automation and management of quarries. Data management, delivery chain monitoring, results analysis, business intelligence... Discover our innovative and customizable solutions now!

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As you can see, the materials industry still offers many opportunities to young people at quarries . Today, manual trades are once again attracting students, particularly through apprenticeships, and the many professional reconversions express the need of the new generations to return to concrete work. 

By promoting quarries aggregates and modernizing your business, you will attract new, skilled and passionate employees.