Why Sign Shops Can't Find Good Employees — And What's Finally Changing

The sign industry has a skilled labor problem — and for decades, there's been no formal education pipeline to fix it. Wendy Graves (Make It Happen Signage Academy) and Christy Ralston (Ivy Tech Community College) are changing that with the first community college sign design and production program, launching August 2025 in southern Indiana. In this episode, Joe and Liz dig into how the hybrid program works, what sign shops need to do to get involved, and how the model is designed to scale nationally. Wendy Graves / Make it Happen Signage Academy Wendy Graves is passionate about empowering people and improving the future of the sign industry with education. As partner with Make It Happen Signage Academy, she’s training the next generation of sign pros with hands-on skills and insider know-how. She’s also a proud advocate for women in the industry, championing Women in Signs, etc. and opening doors for others to thrive. When she’s not leading workshops, connecting with new products or supporting sign professionals, she shares her expertise as a contributing writer for Sign Builder Illustrated. Known for her mix of energy, creativity, and practical strategies, Wendy is all about helping people level up—while having fun doing it. Learn more: signage-academy.com Christy Ralston is an Employer Consultant with Ivy Tech Community College Sellersburg and a healthcare and workforce development leader with more than 20 years of experience in education, training, and talent development. Drawing from an extensive leadership career with Norton Healthcare, Christy specializes in building innovative workforce partnerships that connect education with industry needs. Christy is currently collaborating with Make It Happen Sign Academy to develop a Sign Industry Credential Program through Ivy Tech Sellersburg, focused on hands-on training, workforce readiness, and creating career pathways within the sign and visual communications industry. 00:00 — Intro 08:15 — Introducing Wendy Graves & Christy Ralston 09:20 — The workforce struggle sign shops face today 14:00 — How the Ivy Tech / Make It Happen partnership came together 16:40 — How the program is structured (hybrid model + practicum) 19:00 — Why this model works: lessons from healthcare workforce development 24:40 — Who the program is designed for (career shifters, high school grads, mid-career) 29:00 — How sign shops can get involved: 3 ways 37:25 — Plans to scale nationally 39:40 — Attracting the next generation to the sign industry 44:50 — AI, robotics, and why skilled tradespeople still win 50:40 — How to sign up Enjoy the video, subscribe and let us know what you think. --------------- If you like us, please subscribe to our channels and follow us. Thank you so much.    / @behindthesigns     / behindthesigns     / behindthesignspodcast     / behind_the_signs   --------------- ⚡ OUR SPONSORS & FRIENDS: 📌 SignTracker: Project management & quoting made for sign shops. 👉 https://www.sign-tracker.com/ 📌 ClarityGo: Project management & quoting made for sign shops in the UK. 👉 https://clarity-software.com/clarity-go/ 📌 Inktavo: Business tools for print, promo, and sign professionals. 👉 https://www.inktavo.com/tools-resources/ 📌 Membership Matters: Visit International Sign Association to learn more. 👉 https://signs.org/isamembership/ 📌 Sign Builder Illustrated: Check out our monthly column “Behind the Signs.” 👉 https://www.signshop.com/