Construction Inclusion Week Toolbox Talk 8
Pivot & Build – Life After Athletics
"You can't put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get, and the skills you learned yesterday power what you build tomorrow."
— Michael Phelps
Pivot & Build – Life After Athletics
Former athletes often struggle to find a new team and purpose once their competitive sports careers end. Construction offers the fast-paced, goal-oriented environment where their discipline, coachability, and resilience naturally shine. Providing clear field mentorship helps former athletes translate their competitive drive into rewarding, long-term trade careers.
PILLARS:
Economic Opportunity, Attract & Retain
OBJECTIVE:
Demonstrate how former athletes can apply their discipline, coachability, and teamwork to construction roles through structured field coaching.
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Sample Activity Options
JOBSITE ACTIVITY
Display athlete spotlights or profiles of tradespeople who were former student-athletes.
OFFICE ACTIVITY
Share short video testimonials from employees who used to be athletes.
School/Community Activity
Create a handout comparing sports roles to construction roles (e.g., Captain = Foreman or Crew Lead)
Group Activity
Roleplay a peer conversation with someone unsure about joining construction.
Discussion Questions
Competitive athletics instills core traits that align directly with project execution and trade leadership. This talk focuses on recognizing transferable skills, supporting career transitions, and integrating motivated talent into field and management teams.
- Why might former athletes feel unsure about what’s next?
- What strengths do they bring to our teams?
- How can we help them feel like they belong, even without trade experience?
- What does “coachability” mean on our site?
- What’s one thing we can change to make career changers feel more welcome?
Construction Inclusion Week Toolbox Talk 8
Pivot & Build – Life After Athletics
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