The Labor Shortage is a Myth: Punch List Consulting on Construction Inequity

Описание: In this eleventh episode of Conversations with MOXY, host Natasha Ozybko interviews Ebba Schmidt and Sharon Latson, co-founders of Punch List Consulting. In a powerful discussion, these two leaders dismantle the "labor shortage" narrative, reframing it as a crisis of systemic inequity.

Ebba, a former union carpenter, and Sharon, a marketing expert who worked on diverse workforce partnerships for the Obama Presidential Center, share how they are "selling humanity" to a technically proficient but culturally stagnant industry. They argue that while companies claim they can't find workers, qualified women and people of color are sitting at home waiting for the call—the "cheddar" that the industry ignores while holding out for "mozzarella".

Discover the vision behind the Big Shoulders Construction Campus, a revolutionary incubator designed to move small MBE and WBE contractors from the coffee shop to the boardroom.

In this episode, we discuss:
• A "Guided" Connection: The spiritual link between the launch of MOXY and Sharon Latson’s work with the Obama Presidential Center.
• Selling Humanity: Ebba’s transition from the field to advocacy and the heart-wrenching reality of seeing women used as "photo ops".
• The "Mozzarella" Analogy: Why the industry is failing by only looking for a narrow, traditional demographic in a massive talent pool.
• Big Shoulders Construction Campus: A deep dive into Chicago’s new construction training and business incubator facility.
• Professionalizing the Transition: Providing emerging contractors with the bonding, legal, and professional resources needed to win large-scale bids.
• Intent vs. Impact: Challenging senior leaders to evaluate why their diversity "intent" is failing marginalized workers in toxic field environments.

Key Quote: "There is no labor shortage, just inequity. We are demanding mozzarella in a cheese shortage while the 'cheddar'—qualified women and people of color—are waiting for opportunity."

About Our Guests: Ebba Schmidt and Sharon Latson are the co-founders of Punch List Consulting. Their agency is dedicated to elevating a diverse workforce at a systemic level through marketing, PR, and the development of the Big Shoulders Construction Campus.

About Conversations with MOXY: MOXY elevates the voices of women and allies in infrastructure uncovering systemic gaps, challenging outdated norms, and driving real progress because women are not the exception: they are the workforce.

Connect with us:
• Website: https://themoxyvoice.com
• LinkedIn:   / moxy-the-voice-of-women-in-infrastructure  
• Instagram: @themoxyvoice
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