Multimedia

Resources

White Paper | NHF White Papers, Workforce Development | Published 05.12.2026

Mentoring: Developing Trade Workers’ Talent and Engagement

Across SMACNA shops and job sites, most mentoring still happens the way it always has: organic, informal, and dependent on whoever happens to take a new worker under their wing. This New Horizons Foundation report makes the case that contractors are leaving real money on the table by stopping there. Drawing on practical examples from …

White Paper | NHF White Papers, Workforce Development | Published 05.12.2026

Onboarding Trade Workers for Accelerated Engagement and Productivity

“I received better onboarding at Jack in the Box than I did as a union employee.” That comment from an HVAC contractor president frames the problem this report sets out to fix. With 60 percent of construction injuries happening in a worker’s first year and effective onboarding linked to 52 percent better retention and 60 …

Workforce Development | Published 12.13.2024

Workforce Development Infographics

This series of Infographics provides a visual summary of major topics addressed in NHF’s Workforce Development in the 21st Century and includes: The infographics serve as a tool highlighting how the trades can bring tremendous success and opportunity for an individual preparing to enter the workforce.

White Paper | Workforce Development | Published 12.13.2024

New Horizons Foundation’s Comprehensive Paper on Workforce Development

SMACNA’s New Horizons Foundation’s Workforce Development in the 21st Century addresses what the current generation of workers need and want in their careers and highlights 28 Workforce Development Organizations and their successful recruitment programs. The paper also provides guidance on how to evaluate the effectiveness of workforce development programs identifying components essential to success. The 28 workforce development …