The CAT5 Labor Tsunami (and the Industries most effected) with Ron Hetrick from Lightcast Episode #260

The Labor Market Tsunami You Didn’t See Coming: The Rising Storm

Ron Hetrick

Lightcast

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Buckle up, folks—this podcast isn’t your average snooze-fest about workforce trends. It’s a razor-sharp, caffeine-fueled dive into the chaotic mess that is today’s labor market. From humidity horror stories to a full-on dissection of the impending "Rising Storm" (yes, it’s a published paper, and yes, it’s as intense as it sounds), this episode is a wild ride through the demographic dumpster fire threatening to sink industries faster than you can say "Boomer retirement.”

Weather Woes & Southern Sweat The episode kicks off with a brutal reality check: southern humidity isn’t just weather—it’s a full-contact sport. Think waterboarding by nature, where stepping outside feels like drowning in your own sweat. It’s the perfect chaotic prelude to the labor storm brewing on the horizon.

The Rising Storm Unveiled Enter The Rising Storm, the book that’s less a gentle forecast and more a screaming siren about the labor market’s impending doom. It’s the evolution of "Demographic Drought" and "Who’s Going to Do the Work?"—research so sharp it could cut through corporate BS like a hot knife through butter. Spoiler: a tsunami’s coming, and it’s not bringing surfboards.

Hurricane of Labor Shortages Picture this: a Category 5 labor hurricane barreling toward us, with outer bands already smacking us silly (looking at you, 2021-22). The culprit? Boomers clocking out faster than you can say "retirement party," leaving a gaping hole no one’s ready to fill. It’s not just a shortage—it’s a full-on crisis, and the clock’s ticking.

Cat 5 Industries: Construction & Healthcare Here’s where the rubber meets the road—or rather, where the storm slams the shore. Construction and healthcare get the Cat 5 label because they’re screwed: local talent only, skillsets required, and no AI or outsourcing to save the day. Meanwhile, IT and finance are sipping cocktails in Cat 1 land, barely noticing the drizzle. Harsh? Maybe. True? You bet.

Healthcare’s ER Meltdown Healthcare’s a hot mess, and the ER is ground zero. With 70% of visits being unnecessary (thanks, hypochondriacs!), burnout’s rampant, and home health aides are the only growth industry that doesn’t pay squat. It’s a grim preview of a dependent population explosion by 2030—hope you like waiting rooms.

The Inconvenience Apocalypse Remember 2021-22? Empty restaurant tables, uncleaned hotel rooms, and hospital beds with no nurses? That’s the labor shortage’s outer band, and it’s just a taste. Life’s about to get inconvenient as hell—adjust your expectations, or prepare to rage-quit society.

Trade Schools: The Great Snub Why aren’t kids flocking to trade schools? Blame peer pressure, clueless guidance counselors, and parents who’d rather die than see their kid wield a wrench. “It’s hard” is the rallying cry of a generation that thinks offices are glamorous (spoiler: they’re not). The result? A construction crisis with no quick fix.

Teens Skipping the Grind Teens today dodge first jobs like they’re allergic to minimum wage. With 4.4 million more 16-19-year-olds than the ‘60s but barely any working, we’ve lost the pipeline to trades and retail. No exposure, no interest—good luck filling those Cat 5 gaps.

Skills-Based Revolution Enter the skills-based gospel: stop renting talent like it’s a cheap Airbnb and start drafting like the NFL. Companies that audit skills, not résumés, and invest in growth win loyalty. Those stuck in the “three years of SAP” trap? They’re just begging for turnover—and a reality check.

Dangers of the Diamond Mid-level hiring obse