Five years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States faces a critical shortage of skilled labor in trades such as plumbing, electricians, and construction.
These essential professions form the foundation of our economy, yet inadequate pipelines for skilled tradespeople are creating challenges nationwide. Research indicates that over the next ten years, each trade position will require hiring over 20 workers to replace those leaving due to retirement, job changes, and other factors. According to one analysis, the construction industry will need 439,000 new jobs in 2025 to keep up with demand.
Inspired by the confidence and skills he gained from Willamette University’s MBA for Professionals program, Mike Mattson MBA’18 is helping to fill that gap.
“We have this entire class of people who are needed to keep the world running, and we can do more to help set them up for success,” Mattson says. “Willamette University really helped me build my confidence to do large things that benefit not only me but those around me.”
Mattson chose Willamette because he could live and work in Portland while attending classes in the evening. At the time, he was feeling stuck in his career. Willamette helped him see the bigger picture.
“A lot of people see an MBA program as a way to get that VP title or another box to check on their resume — but there's so much value you can get from it in ways that you could probably never imagine until you've gone through it,” Mattson says. “You get experience and learn to connect the dots across your classes.”
For his capstone project, Mattson built a plan for an apprenticeship program at his company in the waste management industry. The hiring process could take up to two years for a welder or mechanical position, so the need for more workers was dire. Mattson applied what he learned to study the market feasibility of a program for the region that would help create pathways for workers in the industry.
Mattson says he saw his salary double by the time he reached the end of the MBA program. Within three years, his salary had doubled again.
“If you’re looking for career acceleration, the Willamette MBA is a great option,” Mattson said.
Connecting the dots
Mattson’s project eventually attracted the attention of Lewis Services, a company specializing in utility vegetation management. These workers, who literally help keep the lights on by trimming branches around power lines, are needed now more than ever, with climate change causing more frequent and powerful storms that bring down utility equipment.
“The company saw I had the skills directly from my MBA program and hired me to do the job,” Mattson says.
Now, armed with the experience from his MBA project, Mattson is working to build New York’s first-ever apprenticeship program for the utility vegetation management industry — pursuing grant funding, working with advocacy groups, and navigating the legal landscape, all to create opportunities for the next generation of skilled workers.
“If you’re looking for career acceleration, the Willamette MBA is a great option.”
The Willamette MBA has paid off in other ways, too. For Mattson, a powerful life lesson came from a piece of feedback he received from Professor of Human Resources & Organizational Behavior Ashley Nixon on one of his first class assignments. She wrote: “This is well-written, but I’d love to see more of you in the paper.”
“That totally blew my mind,” Mattson says. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Mattson took Nixon’s advice to heart. He says her encouragement helped give him the confidence to bring his whole self to his work helping others. After opening up about his identity in his professional life, Mattson found it easier to build stronger relationships in the workplace. He hopes that his example can help others to be more open about who they are and what they want.
“I’ve learned to try new things and not be afraid to make mistakes,” Mattson says. “Bring your authentic self — good, bad, ugly, all of it — and see what you can do to help your neighbors, your community, and people around you.”
