From The CEO: The Next Generation Problem No One’s Talking About
And why it’s not what most people think
There’s a familiar refrain making the rounds in break rooms, online forums, and comment sections:
“Nobody wants to work anymore.”
It’s an easy line. It’s also the wrong one.
What we’re experiencing isn’t a generational failure. It’s a gap — in guidance, exposure, and leadership — and it’s showing up most clearly in the trades and skilled professions that quietly keep our communities functioning.
The Visibility Gap
Most young people have no real exposure to what modern skilled work actually looks like.
They don’t see clean trucks, technology-driven operations, clear career ladders, or ownership opportunities. They don’t see how a trade can lead to stability, autonomy, and pride. What they often see instead is an outdated narrative — that hands-on work is something you do until you figure out something better.
When we hide good work, we shouldn’t be surprised when fewer people choose it.
The Leadership Gap
Here’s an uncomfortable truth: it’s easier to criticize than it is to lead.
Mentorship takes time. Training takes patience. Setting clear expectations takes effort. Complaining takes none.
Leadership isn’t a title, it’s participation. It’s showing someone how to do the work and why it matters. It’s correcting mistakes without humiliation and reinforcing standards without apology.
When leadership disappears, frustration fills the void on both sides.
The Expectation Gap
Work ethic isn’t something people are born with. It’s learned.
Clear goals, consistent feedback, and accountability create capable professionals. Vague expectations and shifting standards create confusion — and confusion often gets mislabeled as laziness.
Young workers don’t need to be coddled. They need clarity. They need to know what “good” looks like, how to reach it, and what happens when they don’t.
That’s not soft leadership. That’s effective leadership.
The Dignity of Skilled Work
Communities don’t run on theory. They run on execution.
Homes don’t repair themselves. Infrastructure doesn’t maintain itself. Storms don’t clean up after themselves. The work that keeps daily life moving is skilled, demanding, and essential — and it deserves respect.
When we undervalue trades, we don’t just hurt workers. We weaken the foundation of our communities.
Skilled work isn’t a fallback plan. It’s a cornerstone.
The Opportunity Gap
There are real paths to stability, leadership, and ownership that don’t involve four-year degrees or decades of debt — but we don’t talk about them enough, and we don’t showcase them clearly.
Apprenticeships, certifications, on-the-job training, and internal growth tracks work when organizations are intentional about building them. When those paths are visible, people step into them.
When they aren’t, potential goes elsewhere.
So What Do We Do?
We stop blaming and start building.
We expose young people to real opportunities earlier.
We set clear standards and hold them consistently.
We invest time instead of just opinions.
We lead — even when it’s inconvenient.
Because the truth is simple: The next generation isn’t failing us. We’re failing to prepare them — and that’s something we can fix.
And when we do, the returns won’t just show up in businesses and balance sheets.
They’ll show up in stronger teams, stronger communities, and a future that’s built — not complained about.
This article is part of our “From the CEO” series — reflections on leadership, growth, and the decisions that shape how we build at KILEY.