From Labor Crisis to Talent Pipeline: How Bo Jones is Revolutionizing Workforce Development

In this episode of People-First Builders, host Fletcher Wimbush sits down with Bo Jones, President of True Built Construction and CEO of CareerPathway.com, to explore a groundbreaking approach to workforce development in the skilled trades. With over 25 years of experience, Bo shares how his deep frustration with traditional hiring methods—and the dwindling talent pipeline in Nebraska—led him to launch an innovative platform that connects students to careers before graduation.

Bo explains how CareerPathway.com is helping students discover meaningful work in industries like construction, healthcare, and technology through real-time multimedia content created by employers themselves. He walks us through the platform’s features, the impact it's already making in 34 states, and how it's revolutionizing how employers reach and inspire the next generation of workers.

Whether you're a business leader, educator, or parent, this conversation will leave you thinking differently about how we prepare young people for life after high school—and how industry must step up to solve the skilled labor shortage.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why traditional outreach efforts to young workers often fall short

• How True Built Construction mentored students by building homes—and what challenges remained

• The origin story and mission of CareerPathway.com

• How the platform bridges the gap between students, educators, and employers

• The game-changing potential of reaching students before they graduate

Bo breaks down how the platform works, including:

• How students explore careers through bite-sized videos, photo posts, and real-world content from employers.

• How teachers and counselors use the platform to guide career conversations with personalized insights.

• How businesses can build employer brand visibility while connecting directly with interested, pre-qualified young talent.

• Why the education system alone cannot (and shouldn’t be expected to) deliver individualized career exploration at scale—and how CareerPathway.com fills the gap.

Whether you’re an employer frustrated with the broken hiring pipeline, an educator looking for real-world career exploration tools, or a parent trying to help your child find their path, this episode delivers inspiration, clarity, and a vision for what’s possible when industry steps up.