The construction industry has an image problem that could turn into a labor problem. According to a recent survey, young people perceive the building trades as unsafe, dirty, and uncreative. Construction workers are described by the grade school and college age survey respondents as lacking prestige, respectability, and education. "They're bums, people that didn't get through high school and are just looking for a job that they can go through easily," according to one 17-yearold survey respondent. The survey was sponsored by the Construction Industry Workforce Foundation (CIWF), an affiliation of about 19 industry associations dedicated to attracting entry level and skilled workers to the construction trades. While the results of the survey were disappointing, they were not unexpected, said John Heffner, director of manpower and training services for the Associated
