Workforce Development and Talent Retention Panel

Bridging the Talent Gap: Workforce Development and Talent Retention in Educational Facilities

The educational facilities workforce is facing a critical contraction. According to new data from CUPA-HR, the sector has shrunk by 9% overall—with a 4% decline in service maintenance roles and a nearly 8% drop in skilled trades. These numbers underscore a pressing challenge: how do we build and sustain the workforce that powers our campuses?

At APPA’s recent Workforce Development and Talent Retention Panel, thought leaders from across higher education tackled this question head-on.

“Our people are the heart and the engine of everything we do.” Lynne Finn, Associate Vice President Facilities Management at University of Iowa joined Mary Grube, AVP of Finance at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Jessica Shinabery, MHR, SHRM-CP, Human Resources Professional at University of Oklahoma, Andy Brantley, EdD, President and CEO at CUPA-HR and Kenna Boyd and Katie Dean, Partners at Opus Partners to discuss strategies for talent recruitment, development and retention.

Together, they explored practical strategies to retain talent and invest in the next generation of facilities professionals—emphasizing the importance of career pathways, competitive compensation, upskilling opportunities, and strong organizational culture.

The takeaway? Facilities leaders must double down on retention and training to future-proof their teams. Thank you to our panelists for sharing valuable insights and paving the way forward.