September is the time to recognize the often-overlooked workforce behind the buildings, roads and infrastructure we depend on every day.
From Sept. 15–19, 2025, the U.S. celebrates National Construction Appreciation Week to elevate the image of the trades by sharing success stories of the faces behind construction jobsites. And on the third Friday in September, National Tradesmen Day honors the men and women whose skills and hard work build our country.
Read on for ways you can honor your crew this month.
WHY IT MATTERS
The construction industry is one of the largest employers in the U.S., with more than 8 million workers contributing more than $2 trillion annually to the economy. But behind every crane lift and concrete pour are skilled tradespeople who often go unrecognized.
National Construction Appreciation Week was created to change that—to lift up the labor force that keeps America running and make room for meaningful appreciation, both internally and externally.
Founded in 2018 by the I Build America movement, the week-long celebration aims to highlight the essential role that construction professionals play in building and maintaining infrastructure across the country.
And Irwin Tools founded National Tradesmen Day in 2011 to honor the men and women who work every day with their hands to keep American running strong.
Construction is facing a massive skilled labor shortage. According to the Associated Builders and Contractors, the industry needs more than 500,000 additional workers in 2025 to meet demand. This makes the timing of these recognition efforts critical—not just for retention, but for recruitment and public awareness.
WHAT CONTRACTORS CAN DO
Whether you’re a national contractor or a five-person crew, here’s how to make this week matter:
1. Recognize Your Crew
Host a jobsite breakfast. Create an internal “Wall of Appreciation” for field staff. Highlight long-standing employees or rising stars. Make it personal for your team.
2. Engage the Next Generation
Partner with local schools or trade programs. Offer site tours, safety demos or career talks. Turn curiosity into career inspiration.
3. Build More Than Structures—Build Culture
This is also the perfect time to roll out new training, wellness initiatives or team-building programs. These worker-focused types of appreciation shows your team they matter every day.
CELEBRATE ONLINE: HOW TO SHARE APPRECIATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Want to enhance your celebration? Take it digital. Here’s how to engage workers online.
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Post Daily Spotlights – Feature workers, superintendents, operators or office staff in short posts or videos. Share their stories and tag them so friends, family and teammates can join in the celebration.
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Highlight Project Progress – Use drone or time-lapse clips to show crews in action. Link the final product back to the people who made it happen. This helps show your projects coming to life – and, more importantly, the people who make it possible.
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Why I Build Series – Ask your team members why they joined construction or what keeps them going. Share short videos or photos with quotes online. Powerful quotes resonate with the public and prospective hires, especially younger workers.
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Tag Partners – Don’t forget suppliers, subcontractors and clients. A little appreciation goes a long way in building stronger business relationships.
BUILD ON GRATITUDE—YEAR ROUND
Appreciation week and tradesman day are reminders that behind every milestone—every beam raised, every finish installed—is a person worth celebrating. And in a competitive industry where worker retention is more important than ever, consistent recognition can be a game-changer.
Join the national celebration and use National Construction Appreciation Week and National Tradesmen Day 2025 to show your crew how much they matter.
When you recognize the builders behind every project, you don’t just show appreciation—you build the foundation for a stronger future.
This September, take the time to show off your people and projects on social media with the tags #ConstructionAppreciationWeek and #NationalTradesmenDay.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock/Parilov
