Degrees, Dirt Time, and the Missing Middle: Continual Learning in Construction
- Amy Powell
- Jan 13
- 5 min read
The classic argument that comes up all too often in construction is a familiar one:
Which is better—a degree or field experience?
Education or experience. Classroom learning or time in the field.
But the answer is simpler (and more powerful) than we often make it. The real advantage doesn’t come from choosing one over the other. It comes from our decision to continue—or stop—learning once we’re hired, and whether or how that learning is supported by our employers. In practice, this shows up as a need for continual learning in construction—learning that doesn’t stop at hiring, graduation, or promotion, but continues as roles, responsibilities, and environments change.
This idea isn’t new. In fact, it’s something I explored deeply while earning my master’s degree in adult education, studying how organizations develop (or fail to develop) their people over time. What’s changed since then is how visible the gap has become.
The Shift We Rarely Talk About
For decades, organizations have quietly shifted responsibility for career development away from the workplace and onto individuals and universities.
The model often looks something like this:
Get a degree or certification
Get hired
Complete required compliance or onboarding training
Figure the rest out on your own
This approach may check boxes, but it doesn’t build people—and it certainly doesn’t build leaders.
When development is treated as an add-on rather than part of the work, teams slowly weaken. Knowledge transfer becomes inconsistent, leadership pipelines thin, and the industry pays the price over time. At the same time, experienced workers are often expected to mentor and develop others without being given the time, tools, or guidance to do that work well—making effective development difficult, even when the intent is there.
Education vs. Experience Is the Wrong Debate in Continual Learning in Construction
Formal education matters and is valuable for specific roles, tasks, and needs within our industry. It provides structure, theory, shared language, and exposure to ideas, tasks, and processes people may not encounter otherwise.
Experience matters just as much. It builds judgment, practical know-how, context, and pattern recognition that can only be developed over time. Experience exposes people to real constraints, real consequences, and real variability—things no classroom can fully replicate. It also builds credibility and trust, especially in an industry where leadership is earned through performance, not titles. But neither works particularly well in isolation.
People retain and apply learning best when they can connect new information to real experiences over time—not when content is delivered in one condensed burst and then forgotten. Experience gives learning meaning. Learning sharpens experience.
The problem isn’t education.
The problem isn’t experience.
The problem is stopping the learning process too early.
The Real Gap: Continual Learning Inside Organizations
What’s missing in many organizations is a deliberate, ongoing approach to learning once someone is already on the job.
This is where breakdowns often occur:
Training happens when it’s convenient, not when it’s relevant
Mentorship exists in name, not in practice
On-the-job learning is informal and inconsistent
Development is treated as an “extra,” not part of the work
Yet employees consistently stay longer, perform better, and engage more deeply when they can see themselves growing—not just producing...
Why This Matters
Work is more complex. Expectations are higher (and schedules are shorter). Our industry members are being asked to lead earlier in their careers—often without the support systems that used to exist.
Organizations that rely solely on degrees to “pre-load” capability—or solely on experience to “figure it out”—will continue to struggle with engagement, retention, and leadership readiness.
Organizations that commit to continual learning inside the workplace build people who adapt, communicate, and lead more effectively over time.
Where This Is Already Working
Here's the thing: some construction companies are already doing this—and doing it well.
When I started Well Works, I assumed I would spend more time explaining (and even fighting for) this approach than I actually have. And while there are still many contractors who haven’t fully implemented internal, continual learning, there are also companies out there absolutely getting it right.
What surprised me most was realizing that many of the organizations we work with already have robust internal learning and development programs in place. I initially thought I would be hired primarily by companies that didn’t have these systems. Instead, I often find myself working shoulder-to-shoulder with teams that already believe deeply in investing time, energy, and resources into developing their people.
For these companies, learning and development isn’t an add-on, an extra, or a burden. It’s part of who they are—embedded in their values and their budgets. Our role is often to bolster what already exists, add perspective, or help strengthen and scale systems they’ve intentionally built over time.
The advantage is noticeable. These companies tend to have stronger leadership benches (and knowledge transfer), higher engagement, and greater consistency as teams grow and projects become more complex.
“We, Not Us vs. Them”
It’s also worth stating that this isn’t an “us versus them” conversation. Construction depends on a wide range of perspectives, skills, backgrounds, and paths into the industry. Formal education and field experience are both great options—and both are necessary.
The real strength of our industry comes from working together, not against one another, and from valuing what each person brings to the table. When we value one another’s backgrounds, experiences, and potential, we build stronger teams, better projects, and a healthier industry overall.
My advice is to choose the path that ignites your passion and gives you a reason to continue learning and growing—because when people genuinely care about the work they’re doing, development doesn’t have to be forced. It happens naturally.
Bringing the Conversation Forward
This topic is coming up more and more—not just in academic circles, but in industry conversations. I’ll be exploring this further in an upcoming podcast with faculty from the Construction Management program at BYU–Idaho, where we’ll discuss how education, experience, and continual development intersect for students entering the industry and the organizations that hire them. Keep an eye out for the episode—I’ll share the link once it’s live.
At Well Works, this philosophy shapes everything we do—from leadership workshops to communication training to how we help organizations think differently about developing their people.
The goal isn’t to choose between education and experience.
The goal is to keep learning long after both begin.
P.S. While I won’t call out specific organizations here, I have the privilege of working with companies who are doing this exceptionally well—often quietly and intentionally. Some organizations are proud to share that work publicly, while others prefer to keep it internal. I respect both and follow their lead.
Additional Resources
Academic Perspective
For those interested in a deeper, academic look at how organizations support career development over time, you can access my master’s paper on workforce development here:
Video Perspective:
Several years ago, I recorded a video sharing my own path into construction through a four-year degree program (CSU CM: RAMBUILT). In it, I talk candidly about struggling in school, why the university route made sense for me, and how that decision ultimately opened the door to a career in construction. This isn’t an argument for college as the “right” path—rather, it reflects one of many valid ways people find their way into the industry. It reinforces a theme central to this post: construction is strongest when we value the diversity of backgrounds, pathways, and experiences that people bring with them. You can watch it here:: https://youtu.be/Z8BrDqI8GeE?si=EOTipJVnNtd7RE_k
Comments