HOLLISTON, MA — Did you know that the average age of a plumber in Massachusetts is 49? To make matter worse, there aren’t a lot of new young plumbers in the pipeline.
And the problem isn’t limited to plumbers. Hvacr installers and technicians are in almost equally short supply.
For a company like Rodenhiser Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning here in Holliston, that could be a big problem. The lack of good people is “the constraint on our growth,” says company president Andy Rodenhiser.
Having had limited success with traditional recruiting, the contractor is now coaxing established, independent plumbers to come on board as employees. Besides the usual lures of a good salary, benefits, and the opportunity to advance, the contractor pays the former independents commissions whenever their old customers hire the Rodenhiser company.