As members of the workforce age and retire, many industries struggle to replace them with new hires. This is particularly true of the American construction industry. From 2007 to 2010, it lost about 30 percent of its workforce, or 2.3 million jobs, and has been slow to bring in young workers. Consequently, many experts are working to transform the way Millennials view the construction industry. “The old days of hiring someone and sticking them on the job site and saying, ‘Go learn construction,’ that’s gone,” said Mike Lancaster, president of Frank L. Blum Construction. “We have to show new talent that we will develop you, appreciate you, and engage you.” Today, Blum has redoubled its training programs, bolstered its benefits packages, and developed a mentoring program. It has also invited clients, including a hospital and a local park, to talk with employees about why construction matters. These efforts are paying off, but the crisis remains. Almost 80 percent of construction companies are having trouble finding hourly workers, and 55 percent are struggling to hire managers and supervisors. “It’s absolutely a challenge that the construction industry is going to have to face,” said Robert Dietz, an economist for the National Association of Home Builders. “Scarcity of labor has been a top challenge this year, and it’s not going away next year.”