Future Of Work Episodes

Construction needs skilled workers. But if every contractor is looking for people who are already trained and experienced, who is developing the people the industry will need next? Jennifer Wilkerson, Vice President of Innovation and Advancement at the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), joins Ryan Ware to explore why training and developing people has become a strategic issue for the construction industry. Jennifer brings a unique perspective to the conversati...

The construction industry has a changing workforce. But are the ways we recruit, hire, and develop people changing with it? In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Bryce Batts, Co-Founder of Career Collective and a recruiter with 20 years of experience in the AEC industry, to explore a different question: Can construction really hire its way through a changing workforce? Bryce has watched the AEC recruiting and talent landscape shift dramatically over the past two d...

Affordable Housing Starts With Better Questions | Purpose, Community & Construction Affordable housing is often framed as a construction challenge, with conversations focused on cost, speed, and supply. Yet behind every housing project is a deeper question about community, purpose, and the people those spaces are intended to serve. In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Rory Rubin, Founder and CEO of SI Container Builds, to explore her unique journey from socia...

What if the AEC industry’s biggest challenge isn’t a staffing shortage—but a work model problem? In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Erin Fantozz, Founder of EFDesigns, to explore how architecture and construction firms are navigating a deeper shift in leadership, change management, and the future of work. As workforce pressure continues across the AEC industry, many firms focus on hiring more people without rethinking how work is structured. This conversation c...

Access to healthcare isn’t just a policy issue—it’s a delivery problem. In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Peter Nicholson, Co-Founder and CEO of Modern Clinical Planning, to explore how micro hospitals are reshaping healthcare access in rural and underserved communities. This conversation reframes a critical challenge: healthcare systems often struggle to justify investment in low-density regions, leaving communities without reliable access. Instead, Peter int...

The future of construction isn’t just about technology—it’s about how leaders respond to change. In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Brian Turmail, Vice President of Public Affairs and Strategic Initiatives at the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), to explore what construction leadership and change management in the AEC industry will require moving into 2026 and beyond. This conversation reframes a common challenge: many change initiatives fail not...

How are construction leaders managing decentralized teams in an industry built for command-and-control? In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware explores decentralized work models and how AI is reshaping staffing in AEC with Mandy McGill, founder of Aedifico. From construction leadership culture to labor productivity, discover why decentralization isn't just a trend—it's the future of how AEC firms organize work. Plus: the leadership mindsets that make it work. Traditional staffing, ...