The Glass Industry's Hiring Problem | Ashley Cline | Cutting Edge Installs Podcast Ep. 20
Watch the Episode:
Listen on Spotify:
Listen on Apple Podcasts:
Welcome back to the Cutting Edge Install Podcast, brought to you by Omni Cubed — where innovation meets installation and everything in between.
In this episode, host Merv Campbell sits down with Ashley Cline of MR Davidson, a long-time recruiter in the glazing and construction industries who’s redefining what good recruiting actually looks like. Instead of chasing résumés, Ashley focuses on relationships, culture fit, and long-term success — for both companies and people.
Ashley shares her journey into the glazing industry, how recruiting has changed since COVID, and why culture, potential, and personality now matter more than ever. Together, Merv and Ashley unpack the real challenges facing the trades today — from labor shortages and generational gaps to misconceptions about recruiters and what it actually takes to build strong, sustainable teams.
You’ll hear them dive into:
- Why relationship-driven recruiting outperforms job boards
- Culture fit vs. technical skill — and why one matters more
- How COVID and remote work reshaped estimating and project management roles
- Why project managers and estimators are in such high demand
- Bringing talent into glazing from other trades, military, and new industries
- The role recruiters play in reshaping the future of the trades
- Why you can teach skills — but not work ethic or attitude
This episode is an honest, practical look at hiring, leadership, and building teams that actually last — packed with insight for shop owners, project managers, industry leaders, and anyone invested in the future of the trades.
Learn more about Omni Cubed: https://omnicubed.com/
Learn more about MR Davidson: https://mrdavidson.com/
Chapters
- (00:00:02) - Cutting Edge Install Podcast
- (00:01:14) - Getting Back in the Recruitment Studio
- (00:02:03) - Have You Got What it Takes to Recruit?
- (00:03:13) - How Glass Companies Are Helping Construction Companies Get Talent
- (00:06:21) - Remote Work Has Changed
- (00:08:59) - Are there any sort of misconceptions that companies would have about working with
- (00:09:49) - How to Find the Right Person to Fill a Job
- (00:12:26) - Culture and the Right Fit
- (00:18:20) - What's the Most Important Potential In The Glass Build Team?
- (00:21:43) - What are the most demanding Skills or Jobs out there?
- (00:22:38) - Glass Build Recruiting: How to Retain Millennials
- (00:26:48) - "Forties Are For Grows!"
- (00:27:06) - Glass Industry Expert: Know What You're Looking For & Be Prep
- (00:32:30) - NCAN Grilling: Getting People Back to Work
- (00:35:05) - Ashley on the Weather
- (00:35:49) - Cutting Edge Install Podcast
