Bridging the gap 

The future of the AEC industry depends on our willingness to meet young professionals where they are – not where we wish they were. 

By Shelby Harvey

It’s no secret: the AEC industry has been grappling with a talent crisis for years – and there’s little sign of that tide turning anytime soon. 

The “great resignation” didn’t just spark a wave of early retirements among baby boomers during the COVID-19 pandemic – it also ushered in a new era of employee expectations. Flexibility, especially around remote work, isn’t a perk anymore. It’s the baseline. 

As boomers exit the workforce at an accelerating pace, Gen X – being a smaller generation – simply doesn’t have the numbers to fill the gap. That burden has increasingly fallen on millennials, many of whom are stepping into leadership roles earlier than anticipated, often without the support or experience they’d ideally have. This shift has left a noticeable gap in mid-level experience across many firms. 

And just as we’re trying to stabilize, the pipeline narrows even more: civil engineering program enrollment has declined significantly nationwide. The future talent pool is shrinking, and the pressure is mounting. 

Enter our young professionals – late millennials and Gen Z – joining the workforce in the middle of economic uncertainty, labor shortages, and reduced mentorship opportunities. 

Every time generational dynamics come up in industry panels or roundtables, I brace myself. You’ve probably heard it too: “Gen Z doesn’t want to come into the office.” “They don’t have the same drive.” “All they care about is salary.” And I’ll admit, there have been moments I’ve thought the same. But then I remember what it felt like when my own generation – millennials – were painted with the same broad strokes: lazy, entitled, disloyal. 

The truth is, every generation has faced criticism from those before them. And yet here we are – millennials now in leadership, shaping the industry we were once said to be ruining. 

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, millennials and Gen Z together now make up more than half of the American workforce. If you still see young professionals as a problem to be fixed instead of the future of your company, you’re missing the point. 

It’s important to take the time to understand the context behind the generational traits we’re so quick to label. Millennials were called “entitled” because we set boundaries after watching our parents and grandparents sacrifice endlessly for their careers. Gen Z expects flexibility and remote options because, for them, it’s always been the norm. Why wouldn’t they expect it? The better question is, what are we doing to make the in-office experience valuable enough for them to want to show up? 

Yes, mentorship and professional development can be harder without face-to-face time. But let’s not ignore that many of the mentors young professionals need aren’t in the office consistently either. If we’re serious about developing the next generation of leaders (and we’ve already established that it’s imperative we are), we have to be thoughtful about how and when we bring teams together.  

The future of the AEC industry depends on our willingness to meet young professionals where they are – not where we wish they were. We must be willing to adapt, be open to different perspectives, and focus on creating workplaces that foster flexibility, engagement, and offer mentorship in ways that resonate with the next generation. Let’s stop pointing fingers and start bridging the generational gap by meeting young professionals where they’re at and giving them the tools they need to elevate our industry even further.  

Shelby Harvey is director of talent development and HR at BHC and a 2024 Rising Star Alumni. Contact her at shelby.harvey@ibhc.com. 

See the 2025 Rising Stars of the AEC Industry here.