The blue collar industries are experiencing a critical communication breakdown that's been misinterpreted as a skilled worker shortage. Brent Flavin, co-founder of BoomNation, joins the Blue Collar Business Podcast to reveal what's really happening behind the headlines and how technology is finally catching up to the needs of tradespeople.
Traditional hiring platforms have created a system so fraught with friction that workers must submit an average of 200 applications and click over 2,000 times just to receive a single job offer. With 92% of skilled workers abandoning online applications, it's no wonder the construction industry lost 1.9 million workers last year alone. The primary reason? Workers simply couldn't find their next job fast enough to maintain consistent income.
BoomNation is tackling this problem head-on with a platform specifically designed for blue collar workers. Rather than forcing tradespeople to navigate resume uploads and lengthy applications, their technology focuses on connecting humans directly. Their upcoming feature called "the Bridge" will allow both workers and employers to ask straightforward questions: "Find me a job within this location that pays this much" or "Find me a worker with these credentials ready to work now."
Flavin shares powerful examples of workers living just minutes from job sites they didn't know existed, while employers were desperately searching for talent. By removing the barriers between these groups, BoomNation is creating transparency about opportunities and the transferability of skills across different sectors of the trades.
For companies looking to recruit effectively in today's market, Flavin's advice is clear: digitalize your processes, focus on reducing friction in the candidate experience, and engage authentically with potential employees. The companies having the most success on the platform are those willing to tell their story, post consistent content, and connect personally with workers.
Whether you're a skilled worker looking for your next opportunity or an employer struggling to fill positions, download BoomNation today and join a community that's transforming how the trades connect. The future of hiring is human – and it's finally arrived for blue collar workers.
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More About this Episode
How BoomNation Is Reshaping Blue Collar Hiring and Building a Future-Ready Workforce
In the trades, there’s a saying: “If you want it done right, do it yourself.” That same mentality is what’s driving a quiet but powerful revolution in the blue collar workforce. And at the center of it is BoomNation—a platform built from the ground up for the men and women who build, weld, wire, and grind from the ground up.
This isn’t another app trying to “Uberize” the trades or slap a trendy tech band-aid on a generational problem. It’s a true-to-the-roots innovation, co-founded by Brent Flavin, a guy who came up through the industry himself. Raised in Lake Charles, Louisiana—a town where refineries and plant jobs were a way of life—Brent grew up with oil, gas, construction, and real-world labor all around him. That connection? It shows in every piece of BoomNation’s mission.
Let’s break down how BoomNation is doing what others haven’t: bridging the gap between skilled workers and employers in a way that actually works—by cutting through the noise, eliminating outdated processes, and putting real opportunity in reach for the people who make this country run.
The Broken State of Blue Collar Hiring
Before you can fix a problem, you have to understand it. And Brent and his co-founders did exactly that—long before "skilled labor shortage" became the headline it is today.
They noticed two glaring issues:
- Workers didn’t know where the jobs were.
- Employers didn’t know where the workers were.
Despite living in the most connected era of all time, hiring in the trades was still being done through archaic word-of-mouth. Good workers would ask around for weeks about openings while employers were turning down projects because they didn’t have the crews.
One of Brent’s earliest realizations of the platform’s potential? A skilled worker—living seven minutes from a project site—was hired through BoomNation by a company that had no idea he existed. Let that sink in. That’s the disconnect. That’s the inefficiency we’ve allowed to fester for decades.
Is There Really a Labor Shortage? Or Just a Hiring Problem?
Here's where BoomNation gets controversial—and, frankly, real.
For years, we've been told there's a "shortage" of workers in the trades. But BoomNation’s early data painted a different picture. Maybe it wasn’t a shortage—maybe it was bad systems. Brent and his team had the receipts to prove it: millions leaving the industry, not because they don’t want the work, but because they couldn’t find the work quickly enough to keep food on the table.
Let’s talk about construction churn: 1.9 million people left the industry last year. That’s up from 1.2 million the year before. And the number one reason? Missing just one or two paychecks—not because of bad work ethic, but because their next job wasn’t lined up. The inconsistency of employment pushed them into retail, manufacturing, or anywhere they could get paid regularly.
So, again, is it a shortage? Or is it a lack of access?
BoomNation says it’s the latter. And they’re doing something about it.
The Experience Blue Collar Workers Deserve
Most platforms are designed for consumers, not workers. Search, click, submit, hope. It’s a black hole of long applications, resume uploads, and radio silence. For the guy who’s out in the field 10 hours a day, the process is broken. And the result? 92% of people don’t even finish their job applications.
BoomNation flips the model:
- No long forms.
- No resume uploads (because most skilled tradespeople don’t have one).
- No endless clicking.
- Just real people connecting with real opportunities.
Their internal motto says it all: “The future of hiring is human.” BoomNation leverages advanced tech—yes—but always with that human-first lens. It’s not about more algorithms; it’s about fewer hoops.
Recruiters, You’re Doing It Wrong (But BoomNation Can Help)
A key problem is recruiters still playing by old rules. Posting jobs to company pages or generic job boards isn’t cutting it anymore—especially when workers' attention isn’t even there. BoomNation’s platform is built around engagement—employers telling their stories, showing their culture, and connecting before the job even opens up.
That’s why small to mid-sized businesses are thriving on the platform. They don’t have red tape or bloated HR processes. They’re just real people talking to real people.
Want proof? Companies are making hires within days—sometimes within hours—of joining the platform. No gatekeepers. Just connection.
BoomNation’s Secret Weapon: The Bridge
What BoomNation is about to roll out could be a game-changer. They call it “The Bridge.” And it's an AI-powered search experience designed to answer two critical questions on both sides:
- From a worker: “Find me a job near me that pays X, in my trade, with this many hours.”
- From a recruiter: “Find me someone with this cert, this experience, who’s available now.”
This isn’t just filtering resumes—it’s matching people based on intent, availability, and skill. And it cuts the hiring dance down from weeks to minutes.
For the Next Generation: Less Friction, More Opportunity
We’ve got a generation entering the workforce that doesn’t know life without Amazon Prime or smartphones. These younger workers are used to smooth, digital experiences. But when they enter the trades? It’s still:
- Paper forms
- Word-of-mouth
- Unresponsive recruiters
- Delayed pay
BoomNation is bringing the blue collar world into the digital age—not by watering it down, but by respecting the hustle and making the journey easier to navigate. That’s how we retain this next wave of skilled tradespeople.
A Positive, No-BS Community
One thing Brent emphasized is the tone of BoomNation’s community. Despite stereotypes about “rough and rowdy” tradesmen, the platform is filled with positivity, pride, and support. Whether it's a welder showing off a perfect bead or a heavy equipment operator posting a sunrise on site, the vibe is encouraging.
Even recruiters who succeed on BoomNation understand it’s not about selling—it’s about showing. A picture of your daughter in a backhoe? That’s going to connect more than a generic job ad.
This is the new word-of-mouth. This is culture-driven hiring.
Affordable and Built to Scale
Unlike other platforms, BoomNation isn’t pricing small businesses out of the game. Their model is simple: $9.90 a year. That’s it. Unlimited posts. Access to a growing, vetted worker database. Full recruiter tools.
This makes it possible for smaller contractors, owner-operators, and niche firms to stay competitive and build their talent pipeline year-round—not just when they’re behind the eight ball on a job start.
Final Word for the Worker in the Trenches
Brent left us with something that stuck: “Are you focused on your circumstances, or your vision?” When life gets heavy—and, let’s be honest, it often does in this business—the answer isn’t intensity. It’s consistency. Show up. Keep showing up. Keep learning. Keep building your circle.
And, yeah, join BoomNation. Not because it’s another app, but because it’s built for you. It’s a community of people who get it. Who’ve walked in your boots. Who know the grind. Whether you’re looking to move up, get out, or just find a better crew, this is the tool worth having on your phone.
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