Glenda Rahn, Director of Workforce Development at Merit Ontario, reveals why skilled trades companies lose new apprentices in the first 30 days — and what to do about it.
Every contractor says the same thing: "We can't find people." But Glenda Rahn has seen something different on the ground — and it's not a recruitment problem. It's a retention problem. Companies bring in new hires who are excited on day one and then fail to give them what they need to stay: clear expectations, a real mentor, and a reason to belong.
Glenda is the Director of Workforce Development at Merit Ontario, where she works directly with construction contractors and apprentices across Ontario to fix the workforce pipeline from the inside out. She's spent years doing individual coaching calls with candidates, building mentorship frameworks, and having hard conversations with employers about what they're doing wrong — and what actually works.
If you're a contractor struggling to keep new hires, a young person trying to break into the trades, or an industry leader who wants to understand Gen Z on the jobsite, this episode is packed with practical insight you can put to work today.
IN THIS EPISODE
(00:00) – The Real Problem Is Retention: Most companies focus on recruitment, but Glenda says the real workforce crisis is what happens after someone gets hired.
(01:45) – Onboarding Breakdown: The first 30 days are make-or-break — here's why new apprentices walk out the back door before they ever hit the 60-day mark.
(03:10) – What Good Mentorship Actually Looks Like: It's not just having a senior person nearby — it's emotional intelligence, clear communication, and the willingness to share knowledge on purpose.
(05:45) – Gen Z vs. Older Generations: Andrew and Glenda dig into whether Gen Z has changed the game, or whether the industry just hasn't caught up to how this generation works.
(12:45) – The Experience Catch-22: Companies say they need people but require 3–5 years of experience. Glenda shares what new entrants like Troy can actually do to break through.
(19:45) – What Contractors Get Completely Wrong About Gen Z: The "lazy" label isn't accurate — and the contractors who believe it are the ones struggling most with retention right now.
Key Takeaways
The workforce shortage is a retention problem first — most companies lose new apprentices within 30 days because onboarding is broken, expectations are unclear, and no one is taking real ownership of mentorship.
A good mentor needs emotional intelligence, not just technical skill — knowing each person by name, checking in during the first 60 to 90 days, and creating a genuine sense of belonging is what separates high-retention companies from those that can't hold anyone.
Gen Z's work ethic hasn't disappeared — it's showing up differently. They're hustling online, building side projects, and demanding purpose and a clear path forward. Contractors who take the time to understand that will keep them; those who don't will keep losing them.
New entrants trying to break into the trades need to stop relying on Indeed and start pounding the pavement — call companies directly, ask who hires entry-level apprentices, volunteer with organizations like Habitat for Humanity to build a track record, and treat networking like 50% of your career depends on it, because it does.
About the Guest
Glenda Rahn is the Director of Workforce Development at Merit Ontario, a leading open-shop contractors association supporting construction employers across Ontario. With a background in apprenticeship programming, career services, and youth workforce development, Glenda works at the intersection of employer needs and candidate readiness — helping companies build better hiring, onboarding, and mentorship practices that actually retain people.
At Merit Ontario, Glenda is developing a group sponsor apprenticeship program that is already achieving 88% retention and on-time completion rates — a result that proves the workforce pipeline can be fixed when the right systems are in place.
Keywords
skilled trades retention, apprentice onboarding, workforce development, trades mentorship, Gen Z in the trades, construction workforce, apprenticeship program, entry-level apprentice, skilled trades career, construction industry retention, workforce pipeline, plumber apprentice, construction contractor, trade school, journeyman mentor, Glenda Rahn, Merit Ontario, Andrew Brown, Lost Art of the Skilled Trades
RESOURCE LINKS
Glenda Rahn on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/glenda-rahn-99964089
Merit Ontario Website: https://www.meritontario.com
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