The timeless craft of a bricklayer requires a rhythm for their craft, a keen eye for levelling and patience of Job. From the preparation of the site to the accumulation of tools to the all-important corner leads, there are no shortcuts in the process. Each buttered brick needs to be checked and double-checked, and the instincts of a master are earned, not learned.
Did you know that over half of Europe is facing a severe shortage of bricklayers? According to Scottish Construction Now, the UK alone is short 75,000, which is a significant impediment to increasing the creation of affordable housing to tackle the issues of homelessness. With apprenticeships for training bricklayers running three to four years, this is not a deficit that can be quickly resolved.
Enter Salar al Khafaji, the founder of Monumental, who is building autonomous on-site construction robots by leveraging fast iteration of robot design. Its robots are derived from an AI software (Atrium) and have human-like precision, the ability to manage challenging terrain, and fit in the tightest spaces.
What do Salar, Zaileen Janmohamed (below left), Gareth Balch Below (below middle), Napheesa Collier (below right), Diana Matheson (below large), Samantha Dainty (Leach), Hildah Juma, Jay Downton, Kristy Coventry, and Zarah Al-Kudcy have in common? In the words of Bill Drayton, they are all Changemakers.
Drayton, the founder of Ashoka, a global organization promoting social entrepreneurship, is primarily credited with coining the phrase Changemaker. He began using the term “changemaker” to describe individuals — especially young people and social entrepreneurs — who see opportunities for social improvement and take initiative to make positive, systemic change. Drayton’s philosophy centred around empowering people to lead and innovate for the public good, emphasizing that change is not reserved for elites or institutions.
However, the term has too much of a social entrepreneurship shade to it. Despite my love for social entrepreneurship, I suggest we drop the word ‘social’ and examine all forms of entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship. According to Drayton, a changemaker is a person who:
- Identifies problems
- Imagines new solutions
- Takes initiative
- Creates a lasting impact
Ashoka’s motto is: “Everyone a Changemaker.” Do you believe that? Do you see the Changemaker in yourself, or do you only see it in others? Do you think that Changemakers are only young people or civic-minded people?
A Changemaker can be a person reinventing an existing organization, launching a new one, or addressing a shortage of bricklayers or individuals who can utilize the Databricks platform. Consider the criteria above, which reflect problem-solving, paving a new path, and creating a lasting impact.
Then, close your eyes and think of the last, or following, significant challenge you faced personally or professionally. Mull it over. Imagine how you can solve it. Visualize the end game. Now write out a plan to make it happen.
The next time you pass a construction site, a homeless shelter, or a manufacturing plant, your eyes will now see past the people, the equipment, and the structures to the opportunities that will inspire the Changemaker within you.