What They Never Told You About the Trades

What They Never Told You About the Trades

The trades have a reputation problem. And for a long time, construction was the industry you ended up in, not the one you chose. Carlos Rodriguez, owner of Mr. Roofing out of California, knows that story firsthand. Carlos grew up watching his father build a roofing business from the ground up after immigrating from Mexico. He spent summers on tear-off crews as a teenager, went to UC Berkeley, worked in corporate, and eventually came back to take the family business to a level his dad never imagined. In this episode, he and Paul break down what it actually takes to run a construction company, why the stigma around trades is still real but slowly changing, and what young people are missing when they overlook this industry. We discuss: * The stigma roofing inherited and why it is finally starting to shift * Growing up in the family business and what his dad's approach taught him * What he looks for when hiring * The looming labor shortage * How to make the trades look as cool as they actually are * His advice to every high schooler figuring out what comes next Want to bring more young talent into construction? Let's talk. [https://constructreach.com/contact-us] #ConstructionCareers #TradesLife #WorkforceDevelopment #RoofingIndustry #iReachPodcast TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Meet Carlos Rodriguez 01:18 – Roofing industry stigma 03:06 – Family roots and lessons 04:37 – Reframing trades for youth 08:32 – Returning to grow the business 10:43 – From roofer to leader 12:42 – Culture and core purpose 15:42 – Modern trades misconceptions 18:24 – Hiring for heart and hustle 21:52 – Labor shortage and outreach 26:12 – Making construction look cool 29:19 – Trade vs. business skills 30:15 – Advice for high schoolers 31:11 – Closing thanks and wrap Subscribe and Review the iReach Podcast: If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with your friends, and leave us a review. We read every single one. Follow Carlos Rodriguez: Website: https://www.mrroofing.net  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlos-rodriguez-a481b69  Follow Paul Robinson Connect with Paul Robinson on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-robinson-a528151a/]. Follow ConstructReach on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/constructreach/about/]. Follow ConstructReach on Instagram @contructreach [https://www.instagram.com/constructreach/]Check out the ConstructReach website at constructreach.com [http://constructreach.com] This podcast is sponsored by Construct Reach. As a workforce development initiative that builds reachable opportunities through construction, ConstructReach [https://constructreach.com/] increases the visibility of the construction industry by educating students about career opportunities within construction, connecting general contractors to interns and innovative internship curricula, creating content and experiences to expose a diverse population to sustainable construction careers, and uniting stakeholders to ensure the construction industry continues to thrive. #IReachPodcast #PaulRobinson #ConstructReach

The Job Crisis No One’s Talking About

Drew "The MFG" Crowe is the founder and CEO of Drew Crowe Manufacturing and one of the most influential voices in American manufacturing today. Often referred to as the leader of the New American Manufacturing Renaissance, Drew is an MIT graduate and two-time Aerospace & Aviation Man of the Year. He served as Lead Professor of Advanced Manufacturing Technology at Ranken Technical College. His résumé includes speaking at the White House and the Pentagon, and features in Forbes Magazine and USA Today. His mission is to connect youth, underserved communities, and justice-impacted individuals to life-changing careers in manufacturing. And to help companies understand why that's not charity, it's a business solution. In this episode, Drew and host Paul Robinson dig into the deep parallels between manufacturing and construction and why both industries are at a critical crossroads. Drew breaks down why 1.8 million manufacturing jobs sit unfilled and how that gap threatens national security and GDP. He explains why companies can no longer treat workforce outreach as a handout. The two get real about the generational barriers that keep diverse communities from entering the trades. They talk about why soft skills like grit and determination matter more than technical certifications. Drew also shares how he flips the script when talking to young people, connecting their passions for sneakers, video games, and cars to real manufacturing career paths paying $30+ an hour. Plus, he shares a powerful perspective on why he intentionally challenges corporate bias by showing up authentically in every boardroom he enters. If this conversation hits home, subscribe, share with a colleague, and learn more about ConstructReach and the iReach podcast at constructreach.com. In this episode: 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 01:00 Drew's Against-the-Odds Journey into Manufacturing 03:00 What Manufacturing Actually Makes — And Why It Matters 05:15 3D Printed Houses and the Future of Construction and Manufacturing 06:07 Why Representation Matters When Reaching Young People 08:05 Connecting Overlooked Communities to Career Opportunities 10:22 It's Not Charity — It's a Business Solution 12:25 The State of Manufacturing: Tariffs, Workforce Gaps, and National Security 15:13 Construction's Workforce Crisis: 4 Million Jobs by 2031 17:45 The Most In-Demand Skill: Grit and Determination 21:26 What Separates Shops That Survive from Shops That Scale 25:06 Bringing Back CTE, Shop Class, and Career Pathways 27:19 Investing in Messengers Who Speak the Community's Language 29:21 Challenging Bias and Showing Up Authentically 35:00 What Drew Tells an 18-Year-Old About Manufacturing Careers 40:34 Closing Thoughts and Looking Ahead Subscribe & Review the iRea Follow Paul Robinson Connect with Paul Robinson on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-robinson-a528151a/]. Follow ConstructReach on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/constructreach/about/]. Follow ConstructReach on Instagram @contructreach [https://www.instagram.com/constructreach/]Check out the ConstructReach website at constructreach.com [http://constructreach.com] This podcast is sponsored by Construct Reach. As a workforce development initiative that builds reachable opportunities through construction, ConstructReach [https://constructreach.com/] increases the visibility of the construction industry by educating students about career opportunities within construction, connecting general contractors to interns and innovative internship curricula, creating content and experiences to expose a diverse population to sustainable construction careers, and uniting stakeholders to ensure the construction industry continues to thrive. #IReachPodcast #PaulRobinson #ConstructReach

Career Paths in Construction Most People Overlook

In this episode, Paul Robinson challenges one of the most common assumptions in construction and workforce development: that young people simply “don’t want to work.” Speaking from experience hosting I Built This events across the country, Paul pushes back on the narrative and argues that the issue is not motivation, it is exposure. Through conversations with high school students at an I Built This event, we hear directly from the next generation. Many admit they had little to no knowledge of the range of careers available in construction before attending. After exposure, their mindset shifts. Trades become real options. Debt-free pathways become attractive. Entrepreneurship becomes visible. This episode reframes the labor shortage conversation. If young people do not know what the industry offers, the responsibility falls on the industry to make itself visible. 🎧 Subscribe, share, and learn more at https://constructreach.com [https://constructreach.com/] In this episode: 00:00 The “young people don’t want to work” myth 01:26 Generational assumptions and perspective 02:08 Hands-on mentorship and learning at IBT 03:23 Seeing the fruit of your labor in construction 04:29 Exposure changes everything 05:39 The industry’s responsibility to create visibility 06:33 Making informed decisions requires information 06:47 Debt-free pathways and skilled trades 07:47 Aging workforce and pipeline urgency 08:00 Students discovering opportunities they didn’t know existed 09:36 Early exposure through family influence 10:46 Why exposure during school matters 11:29 Technology, hands-on work, and different giftings 12:22 Self-inventory for employers 12:39 Labor shortage as opportunity 13:16 Students reflect on painting station and entrepreneurship 13:35 Growth requires vulnerability Subscribe & Review the iReach Podcast If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with our friends, and leave us a review. We read every single one. Follow Paul Robinson Connect with Paul Robinson on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-robinson-a528151a/]. Follow ConstructReach on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/constructreach/about/]. Follow ConstructReach on Instagram @contructreach [https://www.instagram.com/constructreach/]Check out the ConstructReach website at constructreach.com [http://constructreach.com] This podcast is sponsored by Construct Reach. As a workforce development initiative that builds reachable opportunities through construction, ConstructReach [https://constructreach.com/] increases the visibility of the construction industry by educating students about career opportunities within construction, connecting general contractors to interns and innovative internship curricula, creating content and experiences to expose a diverse population to sustainable construction careers, and uniting stakeholders to ensure the construction industry continues to thrive. #IReachPodcast #PaulRobinson #ConstructReach

Leadership Is Not Authority. It’s Responsibility.

In this solo episode, Paul Robinson reframes leadership as stewardship and challenges leaders to think beyond titles and power. He explores the difference between transactional and transformational leadership and explains why the most effective leaders focus on creating environments where people can grow, contribute, and thrive. Paul connects leadership directly to workforce development, connecting the dots between culture, clarity, and accountability. With millions of jobs projected to go unfilled in construction and related industries, he makes the case that how leaders show up today shapes the workforce of tomorrow. This episode is a call to rethink leadership as service and to build cultures that people want to be part of, talk about, and stay in 🎧 Subscribe, share, and learn more at https://constructreach.com [https://constructreach.com/] In this episode: 00:00 Leadership as responsibility, not title 00:52 Stewardship and developing others 01:35 Transactional vs transformational leadership 02:03 Creating the right environment and culture 03:13 Leadership and workforce development 03:36 Labor shortages and leadership urgency 04:11 Connecting current leadership to future talent 04:46 Closing reflections Subscribe & Review the iReach Podcast If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with our friends, and leave us a review. We read every single one. Follow Paul Robinson Connect with Paul Robinson on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-robinson-a528151a/]. Follow ConstructReach on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/constructreach/about/]. Follow ConstructReach on Instagram @contructreach [https://www.instagram.com/constructreach/]Check out the ConstructReach website at constructreach.com [http://constructreach.com] This podcast is sponsored by Construct Reach. As a workforce development initiative that builds reachable opportunities through construction, ConstructReach [https://constructreach.com/] increases the visibility of the construction industry by educating students about career opportunities within construction, connecting general contractors to interns and innovative internship curricula, creating content and experiences to expose a diverse population to sustainable construction careers, and uniting stakeholders to ensure the construction industry continues to thrive. #IReachPodcast #PaulRobinson #ConstructReach

Reframing Construction: Culture, Community, and the Next Generation

Paul Robinson returns to the iReach Podcast for a powerful solo episode that reframes how we think about construction, purpose, and impact. As the founder of ConstructReach, Paul has built a national platform connecting construction, culture, and community—redefining what the industry can mean for the next generation. In this episode, Paul challenges the narrow perception of construction as “just a job” and positions it as a lifestyle that touches every part of our lives—from where we live and learn to how we heal, worship, and play. He breaks down why storytelling, representation, and cultural relevance are essential to solving the labor shortage and inspiring young people to see themselves in the industry. This is a mindset shift for business leaders, educators, and employers: if you want to attract, develop, and retain talent, you must connect construction to the whole person. Paul shares why urgency matters now—and how community engagement is no longer optional. 🎧 Subscribe, share, and learn more at https://constructreach.com [https://constructreach.com/] Things you’ll learn in this episode: * Construction impacts every defined space in society * Culture and storytelling are critical to workforce development * Representation changes perception—and outcomes * Community engagement is essential to solving the labor shortage * Construction careers can align with purpose, identity, and lifestyle In this episode: 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Purpose 00:14 Highlighting Diverse Stories in Construction 01:38 The Impact of Construction on Daily Life 03:50 Rebranding the Construction Industry 05:33 Connecting with the Next Generation 07:49 Call to Action and Conclusion Subscribe & Review the iReach Podcast If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with our friends, and leave us a review. We read every single one. Follow Paul Robinson Connect with Paul Robinson on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-robinson-a528151a/]. Follow ConstructReach on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/constructreach/about/]. Follow ConstructReach on Instagram @contructreach [https://www.instagram.com/constructreach/]Check out the ConstructReach website at constructreach.com [http://constructreach.com] This podcast is sponsored by Construct Reach. As a workforce development initiative that builds reachable opportunities through construction, ConstructReach [https://constructreach.com/] increases the visibility of the construction industry by educating students about career opportunities within construction, connecting general contractors to interns and innovative internship curricula, creating content and experiences to expose a diverse population to sustainable construction careers, and uniting stakeholders to ensure the construction industry continues to thrive. #IReachPodcast #PaulRobinson #ConstructReach