Nexstar CEO Promoted Business Ownership for Young Workers

Julian Scadden argued that the skilled trades must attract young talent by highlighting paths to business ownership.

Updated on Oct. 10, 2026 in Careers

Isometric editorial illustration of a brass key placed on a heavy steel pipe wrench on a flat surface. — Nexstar Network CEO Julian Scadden is advocating for a shift in trade recruitment, urging companies to prioritize paths to business ownership for young technicians. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should trade education programs place more emphasis on training future business owners?

Julian Scadden, the CEO of Nexstar Network, has advocated for shifting the skilled trades recruiting strategy to focus on business ownership. He argues that this approach is essential for attracting a younger generation of workers to the industry.

Why it matters

The industry faces a long-term need to expand its recruitment pitch beyond standard technical roles. Emphasizing entrepreneurship serves as a key strategy to attract and retain new talent in the skilled trades sector.

Industry organizations are currently investing in building a more robust skilled-trades workforce. This push follows a need to expand recruitment pitches beyond producing technicians to include paths to business ownership.

The players

Julian Scadden

He serves as the President and CEO of Nexstar Network.

Nexstar Network

It is an industry organization focused on supporting and providing resources for home service businesses.

The details

Mentorship programs are being utilized to help current technicians identify specific professional opportunities in business ownership. This strategy aims to provide a clearer long-term vision for those entering the trade, framing it as a career trajectory rather than just a manual role.

The promotion of this recruitment strategy was highlighted on October 10, 2026.

Market Landscape

This move follows the pattern set by the ongoing industry-wide efforts to address the skilled trades labor shortage. By evolving the career pitch, firms aim to gain a competitive advantage in securing the next generation of professional talent.

For aspiring young professionals, this shift may lead to increased mentorship and clearer paths toward business ownership. This could change how potential workers approach long-term career planning within the skilled trades.

The takeaway

The skilled trades industry is attempting to evolve its appeal by positioning technical work as a gateway to successful entrepreneurship. This strategy serves to broaden the career potential for workers entering the field.