Leading-Practice Workforce Development Programs
Help us grow a comprehensive library of leading-practice workforce development and training programs. To add a new program, use the “Submit a Program” button and complete the easy, step-by-step process. The submitted program will be reviewed and approved by the CURT admin before it is available in the listing below.
NOTE: Programs with a next to them are recognized as recipients of the CURT Award of Excellence for workforce development.
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| Performance Contractors, Inc. ‘The Right Fit’ Craft Evaluation Centers | Performance Contractors, Inc. | 2019-07-22 | Our mission can be summed up by our corporate motto: “Taking it to the next level.” This means going beyond excellence – it means working smarter, working harder, and going further than anyone else in the industry. Performance provides value not only to its clients, but also to its employees in terms of a safe work environment and superior training opportunities. As our industry grows and it becomes more difficult to fill craft positions, it is important that we focus not only on filling labor requisitions but filling them with the highest quality, most qualified candidates possible. Our dedicated Training Department focuses on recruiting and training high potential candidates then furthering them in their careers. Performance Contractors sponsors 54 high schools, partners with over 40 technical colleges, has established relationships with an extensive list of military institutions, and are members of 7 ABC Training Institutions. We have regional training coordinators in our Southeast LA, Baton Rouge, LA, Houston, TX, and Mobile, AL offices. Full time Craft Evaluators at each of our offices test and screen recruits to ensure that their skills are properly classified. We also employ a full time Military Workforce Development professional focused on hiring, training, and retaining former and current military members, and our Veteran’s programs have been Nationally recognized for excellence since 2013. We also have a team of full-time foreman trainers that travel to each jobsite delivering soft skills training and administering our “Building America Careers” Mentorship program. This program has proven to be a successful and invaluable tool for employee advancement and certification. Performance Contractors is accredited by NCCER and with 7 testing locations, Performance gives over 1000 NCCER assessments annually. What’s new? Our entire hiring and onboarding process has been tooled and streamlined to ensure that only the highest quality well qualified candidates make it to our jobsites. The process accurately and efficiently evaluates a candidate’s skill level and offers them a roadmap to further development and certification. Seasoned industry professionals guide candidates through interviews, written tests, and hands-on real-world performance evaluations. The process continues on the jobsite where certifications and required training - both hard and soft skills - are tracked, audited and kept current by a dedicated staff. This process ensures that Performance Contractors assembles the finest craft team in the industry and that our employees never stop learning. In addition, we have constructed and equipped new HR Training facilities designed specially to facilitate this mission. Evaluation centers were fully outfitted in all four regions to asses Carpenters, Rodbusters, Boilermakers, Pipefitters, Riggers, Ironworkers, Millwrights, Welders, Crane Operators and others. We also built a mobile unit that can be deployed to more remote jobsites. A full description and supporting documentation will be provided via this CURT award application process. | Workforce Development - Training & Retention | Misclassification of Labor – Putting the right people in the right places the FIRST time. | One of the most important issues that our evaluation program addresses is misclassification of labor. While it is natural for candidates to wish to be classified and paid above their skill level, it is severely detrimental to the safety and productivity of the individual and their coworkers as well as the client and project. When an unqualified employee makes it to the jobsite, it doesn’t do anyone any favors and puts people and productivity at risk. Having a highly qualified evaluator assess candidates before a position is offered minimizes these risks. It further serves the individual by giving them guidance on what they need to focus on and how they can attain the next level of competence. Our written and hands on tests were designed to be easily varied between candidates so that the tasks and answers could not be simply memorized. Our reclassification rate went from 17% in 2017 down to 11% in 2018 which shows a positive and encouraging trend as it means candidates are being more accurate while applying for positions knowing the stringent tests they will have to pass to make it to the jobsite. Candidates would rather invest in their careers by starting at a lower classification with Performance Contractors and learn the craft more thoroughly before advancing. | Setting expectations and a career path with candidates. | From time to time we encounter craft professionals coming from other companies who have been trained ineffectively or incompletely in their craft and must be reclassified during the evaluation process. For example, an employee who was an A-class Journeyman at their previous company, may only test to the standard of a B-class at ours. When this happens, it is sometimes difficult for a candidate to accept a perceived demotion because they’ve been previously classified as a journeyman at a former employer. Our evaluators use their industry knowledge to identify areas for growth by explaining exactly where deficiencies are and how they will be overcome. They are not rushed in this process and are able to dedicate as much one on one time as the candidate requires. They introduce our mentorship and craft training programs and how they will benefit the new employee, as well as getting them in contact with our regional training coordinator to enroll in craft training or upgrade training where needed. This allows the new hire to view working for Performance as an investment in themselves and their career. Most candidates accept this alternate position and hit the jobsite hopeful for their future in the industry. | Having the correct facilities and equipment is key! | The largest barrier to the craft evaluation process was the development, building and equipping of the facilities. When the program was first developed and implemented evaluations were conducted in our parking lot under a small tent and inside an adjacent shipping container. While it was effective, it was not comfortable for the employee nor evaluator and took a lot of extra effort to manage. Physical security of the equipment and modules was also a challenge. The plan was always to start with what we had and then build better facilities. To fully roll out and implement the program, three new personnel and hiring centers were purpose built and others were retrofitted. These facilities are specifically designed to maximize the efficiency of the hiring and evaluation process as everything needed in most cases is under one roof. The equipment used in the testing facilities is the exact same as used in the field to enable realistic situations to be created and provide more accurate evaluations. We also invested in state of the art Virtual Reality Crane simulators for the centers. By making the commitment and investment to build out new facilities we have made the process much more secure, comfortable, efficient, and most importantly, consistent. | The ‘Human’ in ‘human resources’ | Our onboarding and evaluation program is set up to look at the employee as person, an asset, and an investment instead of a body on a job. This sentiment comes from top management and is amplified by our staff working the program from start to finish. When selecting an evaluator, great care is taken to choose an individual who not only has a full career worth of on the job experience but also the right personality for the mission. By the end of our craft evaluation process, new employees know that when they hire on with Performance Contractors they are not just hiring in for this job, but a way to further their career. Having the evaluation program allows us to better gauge where an employee’s career is currently as well as which direction it should go. Time is taken during the process to lay out a road map of success for the individual, and clearly defines a ladder for them to climb. The extra time candidates spend with our craft evaluators makes both the employee and field management more confident in what to expect immediately upon arrival at the jobsite as well as in the future. It is also a force multiplier for jobsite safety as employees arrive with hands on experience of the site-specific required regulations and PPE. | Building America Careers Mentorship Program | Performance Contractors has done an incredible job of training and recruiting new and existing employees for years and feel we lead the industry in these two categories. Convincing top talent to give your company a shot is one thing, but creating loyal employees is another. Our company had grown at such an exponential rate that some of the field employees felt like they were getting lost in the shuffle. We created the ‘Building America Careers’ Mentorship program to address that sentiment and bring the family atmosphere back to our field employees. The Mentor Program focuses on recognizing and rewarding valuable employees and moving them up the ladder of success. General Foremen and Supervisors are charged with recognizing the talents within crew members and guiding them to take the next steps in their career. This initiative also challenges each General Foremen and Supervisor to raise the bar in safety, quality, and productivity for themselves and their crews. Every Month, employees are rewarded and recognized for their advancements and efforts to the entire company. The BAC Mentor Program addresses retention by investing in both parties; the Mentor and the employee. Our Mentors are rewarded for training and certifying their employees, but the craft employee wins as well. Once certified, they are eligible for promotions and additional pay. | Virtual Reality Crane Simulators - New technologies create new opportunities to develop the workforce. | Being a leader in workforce development in a competitive industry means embracing new ideas and technology. We recently invested in ITI Virtual Reality Crane simulation systems for our evaluation centers, and they are already proving valuable. The systems use VR technology to provide a platform where we can accurately and efficiently asses the skills and techniques of crane operators. They also provide a safe environment for training and skills upgrading in house. With over 150 different courses and tasks, they can recreate real world situations and lifts that prepare our employees to work in any eventuality, even sudden weather events. As an example, a young operator came in looking for employment. He had the certificates required but very limited seat time, which is a major hurdle for new operators. He seemed like someone that we would want to invest in but had to be up to standard to earn a seat. Our evaluator put him on the simulator, ran him through various tests, and he performed exceptionally. The evaluator called site supervision and explained the situation. Now, after a month on the job, all accounts say that he was a good hire and is performing well. Without the means to test this employee or an evaluator willing to spend a little extra time with him, we could have missed out on a great opportunity. | The first step is to get buy in from superiors and identify passionate employees to drive the program forward. Without support and people that care, the program will be much less effective. | The second step is to establish goals and develop a plan of implementation, then get started. Don’t wait for everything to be perfect, rather start with what you have and shape the program as you go. | The third step is to track progress so that changes and tweaks can be made to improve the program’s performance over time. | David Theriot | |||||||
| Winning the Talent War | Interstates | 2019-07-26 | “Winning the Talent War” encompasses Interstates’ desire to always pursue a better way as well as to continue to provide opportunities for our people—current employees and future generations. Our industry is facing an unprecedented talent shortage. In order for Interstates to thrive in the current environment, we need to position ourselves to attract, retain, engage, and develop talent as we never have before. To accomplish this, we have focused on three primary areas: First, we increased our focus beyond typical recruiting grounds. We actively engage students as young as grade school in the trades, continuing up through CTE (Career and Technical Education) partnerships among Interstates, high schools, and technical schools. We push for active partnerships in each of our primary office locations and drove the creation of a CTE (Career and Technical Education) partnership at our corporate headquarters in Sioux Center, Iowa, between the local high schools and Northwest Iowa Community College. We even invested in a $3.1 million building to host CTE education on our Interstates Sioux Center campus. Second, we created an organizational strategy focused on empowering and equipping our current employees to understand and drive development. We want to be a learning and developmental organization. To support this effort, we created an internal tool, the Talent Card, which employees and managers use to openly communicate about career journey desires, provide developmental feedback, as well as review safety and training opportunities. Third, we reinforced culture, the Interstates Core, to ensure a meaningful and engaging employee experience. The Interstates Core consists of our core values—Building relationships through: quality, dependability, integrity, trust, and family. The Interstates Core also includes our client vision of Understanding Needs and Delivering Results, as well as the reasons we are in business, which are Providing Opportunities for Our People, Making a Difference with Our Clients, and Pursuing a Better Way. To bolster and promote our core, we invested in an employer branding effort called Interstates. Let’s Build. that we reinforced internally as well in our communities through team service events and community engagement opportunities. One example of Interstates. Let’s Build. is our partnership with the Sioux Center Chamber of Commerce and the Classroom to Careers program. Local educators enroll in this program and partner with local businesses to learn more about employment skills and career opportunities for students. There are currently 17 educators and business people participating in this program. Our focus on future generations, our drive to have a learning organization, and our commitment to sustaining our culture is what will not only help Interstates Win the Talent War but as more construction companies focus on workforce development, we will all be more successful together as more people are attracted to construction careers. | Workforce Development - Training & Retention | CTE Partnerships | We learned a lot over the past year from starting a CTE partnership with local high schools in Northwest Iowa and Northwest Iowa Community College. A valuable lesson learned was to establish role clarity early and revisit it often. For example, over the past year there have been misunderstandings regarding who was responsible for promotional opportunities for potential students. We are learning from these situations and are doubling down on our efforts to make sure this CTE program thrives and expands over the next 50 years or more. | Getting Leader Buy-in on the Value of Developing Others | A crucial component of the “Winning the Talent War” program is the mindset of our leaders. Our field leaders and project managers are trained to execute at the highest level for the client, and we want that to continue. At the same time, we know that to meet our growing organization’s heavy leadership demands, our leaders need to believe and actively engage in the development of others. We have learned that demonstrating the importance of development is critical. For example, we spend time connecting the dots on the growth we can experience with leadership bench strength or the pain we will feel if we don’t have employees and leaders developed. We have many stories of the former and the latter, and we ask leaders to share during peer issue processing what is working and isn’t working. This builds a common understanding of why leaders should invest their time in providing experiences, having career journey conversations, working through skill development, doing general well-being check-ins, etc., even with employees who are on their job-sites for a shorter time period. | Leaders Learn Best from Each Other, So We Need to Provide Time and Space for Them to Be Together | During Interstates’ annual leadership training held for crew leaders, foremen, and superintendents, we have implemented a portion called Issue Processing. Individuals bring a challenge they are currently facing (generally client, employee, or contractor related), and the group comes together to give guidance on next steps and how to reach a favorable outcome. Throughout this process, the group ensures that the leader is truly figuring out the actual problem, and not missing a more significant issue that has contributed to the current situation. At the conclusion of the process, the employee picks the top three suggestions in order to move forward by a certain date. The program is set up so the employee who owns the issue has to report back to the group with the outcome and status of the issue. This process holds the employee accountable and has the added benefit of letting the entire group learn from each other’s experience. | Live Out Your Values—The Interstates Core Value to Take Care of the Whole Employee | We believe the best way to ensure the inclusivity of our culture is through our core values. When new employees join Interstates, the first thing they learn are our values. As onboarding facilitators, we do more than just read these out loud – we talk through what each core value means from the new employee’s vantage point and what it means to us. We have incorporated a session into our leader training entitled, “Interstates Core Value, what does it mean for you?” To live out our values, they have to continually be reviewed and discussed. Our core values reflect how we treat our people, they don’t stop when the work day is completed, and they encompass the whole employee. This dedication to the whole employee is displayed in the financial training we provide. Apprentices in the 2nd and 4th year of the program go through a mandatory financial class where they are taught basic financial principals related to buying a home, buying a vehicle, retirement investing/saving, and credit card debt. The financial class has been incorporated into the Foreman- and Superintendent-level classes as well. At this stage, we bring in a financial advisor that any field leader can meet with, free of charge. In these sessions, the financial planner will review any financial matter and provide guidance for the employee. | Kill the Performance Review—Move to More Frequent Coaching Conversations | One of our most successful development approaches is the way in which we conduct performance evaluations. We recently moved away from a formal, annual evaluation and performance review and, instead, have focused more on what we call “Quarterly Coaching Conversations.” With the use of our Talent Card, employees and their supervisors meet once a quarter to discuss the employees’ performance and focus on a particular topic. These topics are communicated company-wide by the Organizational Development team and include issues such as feedback, training opportunities, goal setting, etc. In addition to these quarterly conversations, we have also found success in having face-to-face check-ins to see how employees are doing in regard to both work and their personal lives. As part of this process, key leaders have one-on-one conversations with all craft employees on an annual basis. This format provides employees with direct feedback regarding their growth and development and also gives our key leaders an opportunity to check in with employees and their family members. During this meeting, we verify that the employee understands the current benefits we provide (e.g. our insurance options and 401K retirement plan options), and inquire to see if there are other ways we can support the employee, both professionally and personally. | Teach Leaders the Business and Industry Imperative of Developing Others | Organizations should spend time helping leaders understand why it is vital for the industry and their own company that they take the time to develop other people. Spending time developing someone’s career is not only a great retention tool but also a proven recruitment method. When people see that a role in construction isn’t just a job but can be an incredibly fulfilling and rewarding career in the industry, word spreads. Additionally, organizations need to teach leaders not to become discouraged if they don’t see their personal investment come to fruition. The employees they invest in will likely move jobs or may even move on from Interstates, but leaders should feel pride in the investment they made in someone’s career. This message has resonated well with our leaders due to the high number of “boomerangs” or returning employees who, after leaving and returning to Interstates, are committed employees. We also continue to support Interstates alumni when they reach out for information on our Winning the Talent War program because they want to implement something similar at their new organizations. | Leaders should align on investing time and resources for development. If they use a strategic facilitation process to determine their implementation areas to Win the Talent War, they will have buy-in moving forward. Leaders need to do the heavy lifting to make workforce development part of the culture and day-to-day operations, not something driven by HR alone. To replicate our program, a key step, after identifying your specific focus areas, would be to find a user-friendly tool (i.e., system/app) that leaders and employees can use to track development—from career journey desires, skills to achieve, or trainings that have been completed. | A strong second step would be to identify gaps in roles, and then think long term: form partnerships with grade, middle, and high schools and technical schools. Creating interest in the construction industry through CTE programs and efforts to educate and engage students has the added benefit of promoting brand awareness in your communities. For the same reasons, industry stakeholders should start an apprenticeship program and formalize internship programs for key positions, such as project coordinators. | A third step is equipping your leaders with the skills necessary for fostering psychological safety. When employees feel safe, they are comfortable to say what they need to say regarding their career paths. Leaders can then give specific, timely coaching advice or feedback. For this to work, the leader must have a mindset that acknowledges developing others is a business imperative for continued success. Leaders must be trained on how to coach, empathize, create psychological safety, and empower employees to take ownership of their developmental journeys. | Interstates has built a library of testimonial videos to aid in the recruiting and retention of employees | Interstates has built a library of testimonial videos to aid in the recruiting and retention of employees | Interstates has built a library of testimonial videos to aid in the recruiting and retention of employees | Interstates has built a library of testimonial videos to aid in the recruiting and retention of employees | Benj Van Donge | |||
| HireLAX Apprenticeship Readiness Program: Cultivating Skilled Labor for the Los Angeles World Airports LAX $14B Capital Improvement Program | Los Angeles World Airports | 2019-08-03 | The Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) LAX $14 billion capital improvement program requires skilled labor and contractor capacity to deliver its Gold Standard Airport on-time and within budget, while maximizing its commitment to include the participation of local residents in its construction (see LAWA CIP chart). To this end, LAWA created the HireLAX Apprenticeship Readiness Program (HireLAX ARP). The HireLAX ARP is a comprehensive, free, 8-week, 240-hour construction apprenticeship readiness program taught at nearby Los Angeles Southwest College that is designed to include local institutional assets and address the challenges confronted by disadvantaged individuals. Students are simultaneously enrolled in college together with the applicable City of Los Angeles WorkSource Center or County of Los Angeles American Job Centers for supportive services that help address employment barriers. HireLAX ARP’s integrated model includes six key features: (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpT77boP__I) A. Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3) Comprehensive construction training including math, blueprint reading, construction, tools and materials. B. OSHA-10 and First Aid/CPR Training Certification Students are taught and exposed to the importance of construction safety and to develop a jobsite safety culture. C. Hands-On Projects and Field Trips Students participate in class construction projects to develop hands-on skills, team building and tool identification; onsite training visits to nearby large and complex construction projects; and visit apprenticeship training facilities to learn about specific trades and make a determination about the craft they will pursue. D. Physical Fitness / Conditioning Students participate in daily construction fitness training to prepare their bodies and mind for a construction career that is reinforced with the principles outlined in the Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) regulation. E. Case Management, Supportive Services and Employment Development Comprehensive case management and supportive services are provided by the non-profits Flintridge Center and 2nd Call (funded by LAWA), as well as the County and City of Los Angeles workforce development supportive services network. This support framework includes: a. Weekly counseling and life skills training to overcome past trauma and improve self-worth and confidence. b. Financial and counseling support for barriers to employment such as childcare, past involvement with the criminal justice system, mental health issues, homelessness, transportation and driver’s license issues, and the cost of tools and State-approved apprenticeship program initiation fees after graduation. c. Networking with contractors, apprenticeship training programs and unions to explore career placement opportunities, learn about individual trades, and gain advice on how to prepare to begin a construction career. F. Retention Retention is improved by ongoing case management and placement assistance that continues after graduation. Specifically, HireLAX case managers follow-up with graduates weekly for two months; monthly for 10 months; and quarterly for three years. Retention is tracked in Workforce Manager, a new system that HireLAX helped create in collaboration with the online certified payroll system provider, LCPTracker, that automates and integrates all workforce data about trainees and graduates in an online platform that helps track retention in greater detail, including wages and career trajectories within the region. | Workforce Development - Skilled Craft Labor | a. Availability and Eligibility for Publicly Funded Supportive Services Creates Program Limitations | Seek partners and resources beyond those that are originally designed to support disadvantaged individuals and recognize that government agencies cannot satisfy all needs. HireLAX ARP is partnered with the City of Los Angeles and County of Los Angeles workforce development systems for supportive services that help address employment barriers for disadvantaged workers, such as child care, transportation, tools, boots, apprenticeship initiation fees, etc. However, funds and/or services may not be readily available when the individual needs it or what they need is not eligible for support. The cost of construction boots cost up to $150 but WorkSource Centers and American Job Centers are unable to process payment to the vendor in a timely manner, therefore, there is a reluctance from the vendor to provide the boots required for training. Additionally, the cost reimbursement process may take longer than the 8-week training period. Additionally, these partners, in some situations, are unable to pay the full cost of the union initiation fees thereby precluding a graduate to go to work on demand. To date, these centers have provided approximately $28,000 in supportive services. HireLAX is now partnered with the Weingart Foundation, a philanthropic organization, and a major LAWA contractor to receive a total of $50,000 in grant monies to immediately cover expenses and avoid delay in students starting their training with the proper PPE or for a graduate to begin work when the offer is made. | a. Drug Testing Policy and Remediation Plan is Required to Address Barriers to Job Readiness | It is unrealistic to believe that people will change their way of life during an 8-week training period, but we must reinforce safety as a core value and that contractors investing in a new first period apprentice should be provided a candidate who is ready and serious about a career in construction. Disadvantaged individuals confront numerous employment barriers and one of those may be drug use. Previously, HireLAX ARP drug tested each trainee upon starting the program. If they tested positive, then they were given a warning and instructed to clean up during the 8-week training period. Students were also told that contractors would drug test them and if they tested positive, the contractor would release them from the job. This situation happened often and compromised program credibility. HireLAX ARP established the Drug Testing Policy and Remediation Plan that requires drug testing during the first and last weeks of training; denies graduation to trainees who test positive after second drug test but enables trainees to clean up during a two-month grace period and use life skills counseling. After two months, the trainee is drug tested again and if they pass, they will be recognized as a HireLAX ARP graduate and referred to contractors for hiring consideration. | a. Home and Community Trauma Needs to be Addressed to Help Disadvantaged Individuals Confront their Barriers so that they can Focus on their Future | The trauma that numerous individuals live through cannot be adequately addressed with limited counseling during an 8-week apprenticeship readiness training program. Disadvantaged individuals tend to have a history of trauma that is rooted in their home life or in the communities in which they live. HireLAX ARP recognized that life skills training during the 8-week training period would help individuals recognize their feelings and experiences and provide them with tools that could help them focus on their training. While this premise was true, it was not sufficient to reinforce long-term job retention. HireLAX is structurally reinforcing its graduates to continue to attend the Life Skills training provided by its partner, 2nd Call. 2nd Call makes counseling available every Thursday evening to HireLAX graduates. In these Thursday evening forums, HireLAX graduates are among other construction workers who share a common history of trauma. Together, and through thoughtful dialogue, they help one another continue on a positive path that enable them to continue their careers in construction earning good wages and benefits that will hopefully steer them and their families onto a different life trajectory. | Multi-Phase Retention Case Management Approach that Provides a Continuum of Support to Increase the Retention of Graduates in Construction Careers. | HireLAX ARP created a retention case management approach that begins after graduation. Program graduates are contacted within a three phased schedule: Phase I-Weekly for two months; Phase II-Monthly for 10 months; and Phase 3-Quarterly for three years. This approach results in four years of continuous contact that will support graduates through their apprenticeship years. During each phase, the HireLAX ARP case managers will ask graduates for an update on their job experience, areas that require additional training support, experience with employer and co-workers, and assess the need for additional supportive services, such as counseling, childcare, transportation, or other need that may potentially hinder their success. All data collected is journaled in the Workforce Manager system that enables data collection, follow-up, and quantifies the value of supportive services provided to graduates throughout their career. Any changes to contact information will also be added to the system to ensure that contact is maintained throughout the four phases. | a. Developed Workforce Manager System Configuration to Track, Monitor and Report Graduate Retention and Long-Term ROI of the HireLAX ARP | HireLAX ARP created Workforce Manager in collaboration with LCP Tracker, the company that created and owns the widely used online certified payroll system, to track trainee training progress, certifications earned, case management and referral, placement, and the long-term career trajectory and wages earned to quantify the return on investment (ROI) of apprenticeship readiness training and success of LAWA’s local hiring policies within the Los Angeles region. The system is programmed to generate custom reports that provide a history and value of supportive services provided to trainees and graduates; placement success report that shows graduate placement, including employer, craft, union affiliation, and cohort; and placement opportunity report that is given to contractors to share available graduates for hiring consideration. Workforce Manager connects to LCP Tracker’s certified data to track HireLAX ARP graduates’ career trajectory from apprentice to journeyman, wages earned over time, projects worked on throughout the Los Angeles region, and retention on a construction career path. The Workforce Manager data is also used to create the HireLAX Workforce Manager System Dashboard that illustrates the cumulative success of all graduates, including wage earned, hours worked, ethnicity, gender, craft and GIS mapping. See HireLAX Workforce Manager Dashboard and Workforce Manager Supportive Services Report | a. Real-Time Workforce Data Reporting | HireLAX ARP created custom reports in the LCP Tracker online certified payroll system to track the hiring of its graduates by LAWA contractors at all tiers, including classification, headcount, hours worked, wages earned with or without benefits, and their contribution to the local economy. These reports enable HireLAX ARP to monitor LAWA contractor compliance with hiring program graduates, local workers, and track disadvantaged and/or veteran status, as well as to help contractors remain compliant with apprentice to journeyman ratios required on public works projects. See LAWA Local Worker Utilization Report by PRJ and LAWA Local Worker Hiring Performance by PRJ | Define the market conditions that would support an apprenticeship readiness program, such as 1) current demand for skilled workers in local community or region, 2) policies that promote the hiring of local residents, 3) industry stakeholders (contractors, unions) that share your evaluation of the market conditions, and 4) the execution timelines and values of existing CIPs. If the market conditions are ripe, then engage these stakeholders in the program development and implementation strategy. | Conduct an asset inventory of 1) existing training programs, 2) available workforce development supportive services, 3) funding streams for apprenticeship and apprenticeship readiness training, 4) educational institutions, 5) philanthropic organizations that invest in workforce development or serve special populations (women, homeless, foster youth, etc.), and 6) known professionals and subject matter experts in this field. Individuals representing key assets should be engaged in the program development and implementation strategy. All partners should agree to commit through an MOU that defines scope, commitments, roles and responsibilities, and process for accountability. | Identify an online data reporting system that you will use to track and manage the program and evaluate performance. The system should be one that is industry recognized and widely used with confidence to ensure that your data is above reproach when shared with industry, community and institutional stakeholders. Additionally, the system should contain security features that will protect students’ private information and should be able to easily communicate with other systems through an application programming interface (API). To maximize the value and use of the system, training should be provided to program staff, partners and stakeholders. | Video provides an overview of the program and shares the transformational impact of the program through the voices of its graduates and partners. | Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti wrote a column in the Wave Newspapers to highlight the impact of the HireLAX ARP on local lives and their role in building LAX. | Spanish media interview of HireLAX ARP graduates and program partners. | This webpage provides an overview of the program, including registration information and schedule, press releases and media coverage, and additional resources for community stakeholders and partners. | Veronica Soto | |||
| Skills Exploration Days aims to inspire junior high students to explore their skilled trade talents and interests in their education journey. | Skills Canada Alberta | 2020-07-03 | Skills Exploration Days is an opportunity for over 600 teachers and junior high students (grades 7-9) to participate in an authentic and meaningful skilled trade and technology career exploration experience. Building on the Maker Day model, the goal of the day is to encourage the use of empathy through design thinking, inquiry, making, and experiential learning. Using the videos, Prezi presentations and worksheets provided on the Skills Exploration Days website, students across Alberta are introduced to the 5 phases of the design thinking process – empathy, define, ideate, prototype and test. Prior to attending Skills Exploration Days, teachers are required to facilitate the empathy, define and ideate phases during their regular class time. The design thinking process begins by introducing students to a design challenge, which is a real-life scenario/problem that encourages students to use inquiry and problem based learning to design a solution. Teachers also use the human-centered design thinking activity to help guide their students through the first 3 phases of the design thinking process where they will not only solve the design challenge problem, but will design a solution with real-life purpose that is based on the wishes and needs of others. The last step in the classroom requires students to draw a final prototype sketch, the solution, which they will bring to Skills Exploration Days and participate in the prototype and test phases of the design thinking process. At Skills Exploration Days, students will tour over 38,000sqft and participate in a skilled trade and technology career exploration experience by visiting the Learn-A-Skill stations. The Learn-A-Skill stations will allow students to explore their interests and passions as they rotate through hands-on stations for the opportunity to work one-on-one with over 100 industry experts and learn how to use tools, technology, and materials safely while also acquiring career related skills and knowledge. Cabinet Making (scroll saws and sanders), Carpentry (mitre saws and power tools), Electrical Installation (wires and circuits), Fashion Technology (sewing machines), Graphic Design (Photoshop), Painting and Decorating (paint and brushes), Plumbing (PVC pipe and fittings), Sheet Metal (benders and shears), and Welding (welding machines) are examples of the Learn-A-Skill stations. Students will then have 2.5 hours to apply their newly acquired skills and knowledge to independently construct a prototype using the final prototype sketch that was created in the classroom. Along with using the power tools and materials provided at the Learn-A-Skill stations, students will also use the Shared Pantry (the “Home Depot” store with small bits and pieces) and the Reuse Centre (extra pieces of cardboard and material) which encourages students to recycle, reuse, and become aware of environmentally-friendly materials. Students will then complete the test phase of the design thinking process by participating in a gallery tour where they get to test and display their prototypes and ensure it solved the design challenge. Throughout the day, students can earn badges and display them on their safety vest. 12 badges can be earned for following safety requirements, demonstrating environmental stewardship, completing a skill successfully and collaborating positively with others. | Workforce Development - Training & Retention | How can Skills Canada Alberta support Alberta’s new CTF Program of Studies? | When the new CTF Program of Studies was implemented in Alberta schools, SCA knew we had to supply support to these junior high school teachers who were being affected. A barrier we faced was that most of our current programming at the time was geared towards high school and post secondary students. We had to put on our thinking caps and during some research, the SCA team stumbled upon the concept of Maker Day and right away we knew this would be a perfect fit. We then piloted Skills Days where students constructed prototypes using dollar store materials such as popsicle sticks, modeling clay, string, hot glue guns and dremel tools. Due to logistics, SCA soon discovered that Skills Days needed more authentic power tools and materials in order to promote the true skilled trade and technology industries. This was when Skills Exploration Days was born! | How can SCA get industry experts to teach the students how to use the tools? | Due to the amazing skill set of the SCA staff, booking a venue and filling the seats was the easy job, however, we needed the experts to supply and run the tools in the Learn-A-Skill stations. It would be the experts who would know which tools and materials would be needed for each station, but we also needed experts who would work well with junior high students. We dug deep into our dedicated volunteer pool and we were blown away by the excitement shown by high school shop teachers, post-secondary instructors and even industry leaders to volunteer their time and tools at Skills Exploration Days. This has also been a great opportunity to invite our SCA alumni students/past competitors to volunteer and become positive role models for the junior high students. | We need a design challenge that all students can connect with. | With any school activity, it must be engaging and relevant to the students in order to keep them interested and excited. In our first year, with the design challenge “Refugee Crisis,” students had to develop a prototype that would help refugees on their travels by addressing some of their basic needs and help families arrive safe at their destination. Unfortunately, many junior high aged students were unfamiliar with this topic so it was hard for them to connect to it and think outside of the box. After the prototype building, we were surprised by the lack of variety as almost every team built some sort of super backpack. Going forward, we realized that the design challenge topic had to be relevant to the students and created design challenges such as Using Smart Technologies Smartly to Improve Life in Rural and Remote Communities (using the recent disasters caused by fire or flooding in rural Alberta, design and develop a solution using ‘smart’ technologies that could be used to improve, stabilize, or protect an aspect of their home or lives when they are facing, or are in the midst of, a natural disaster). More recently, the design challenges have focused on the Global Goals for Sustainable Development (also known as Global Goals) and challenged students to implement the principals of sustainable development and the Global Goals, to develop a prototype that will help communities in Alberta. | Safety is our number one priority. | Working with tools can be dangerous. Having a student work with a tool can be more dangerous and when a student uses a tool for the first time, this can be even more dangerous. Therefore; we ensure our experts show the students how to safely use all the tools and materials, and students are rewarded with a badge for demonstrating safe techniques. To ensure we are prepared for any safety concerns, a safety manager is onsite. The safety manager creates a safety booklet that outlines SCA’s and the venue’s safety protocols. The safety manager works with a safety team to roam the event and ensure all students and volunteers are wearing the correct eye, ear and hand protection where necessary. Students are all given a safety vest to not only display their badges, but when this piece of safety equipment is brought home, it begins a conversation at home with their family about safety in the workplace. | Teacher resources are extremely helpful. | For many teachers, design thinking is a brand new concept. Since we do require teachers to facilitate the design challenge and human-centered design thinking activity in their classrooms, the SCA team ensures that teachers have access to online resources on the Skills Exploration Days website, including a how-to video, teacher guide and a Prezi presentation that teachers can use in their classrooms. The teachers also have the opportunity to visit the Learn-A-Skill stations themselves to possibly try a tool for the first time as well! | Career exposure for all students. | Many junior high schools, especially in rural Alberta, do not have access to a facility that can offer certain trade and technology classes. They may only offer a cooking class or a woods class but it isn’t until the students reach high school that they may have more choices, and if the school does have a work shop, the equipment is usually very old, broken and unsafe. Therefore, SCA wants to ensure there is a variety of career exposures at Skills Exploration Days to allow junior high students the opportunity to hold a new tool, weld together metal, or use a sewing machine for the first time. SCA also wants to make sure that students are using the latest and greatest tool or technology to represent the variety of industries today. Last year, the Advanced Manufacturing Learn-A-Skill station was added to the event to allow students to explore 2D/3D manufacturing and laser printing. | The first step is to become educated about the design thinking process and the five phases. This is such an important part to Skills Exploration Days to ensure students are designing a prototype with empathy. They are not just designing a school playground for themselves, but now they are designing an inclusive school playground for their community with the user and purpose in mind. | The second step is to ensure the human power and volunteers are available to help. General volunteers are needed, but most importantly, experts from the trades are needed to provide the tools, set up the tools, safely work the tools, and provide knowledge to the students. Since this program works with students, it is also important to have experts/volunteers who work well with youth, can simplify directions, and who will support students with their amazing creations. | The third step is to recruit the schools and students so they can attend. In the beginning days, SCA attended many teachers’ conventions and professional development days to educate teachers about our new program, Skills Exploration Days. A video was also created onsite during the first Skills Exploration Days program, which has been very helpful in showing teachers what the day is all about. After every program, teachers and students complete our evaluation and reflection forms and this feedback helps us to improve each year | The Skills Exploration Days website is a perfect resource for anyone who wants to learn more about the program. It is here on the website that teachers will find all the resources needed to prepare and be successful for Skills Exploration Days including the teacher guide, teacher tool kit, teacher Prezi, teacher how-to-video, design challenge, worksheets, and connections to the Program of Studies/curriculum. A helpful video, dates and locations, the purpose/goals of Skills Exploration Days and tips on how to get the most out of Skills Exploration Days are all included on the homepage. | A great video that can describe Skills Exploration Days far better than any teacher guide can! Watch this video to learn all about Skills Exploration Days and the design thinking process. Hear from students and teachers about what they think about the day, working with tools and learning about skilled trade careers. | “Taking Making into Classrooms: A Toolkit Fostering Curiosity and Imagination in Alberta Classrooms” provides background information to Making as a pedagogical orientation and intentional mindset while making connections and references to the Alberta CTF Program of Studies/Curriculum. For participation in Skills Exploration Days, please take note of Sections 1-6. Use Section 5 of the Toolkit to become comfortable with the four phases (design, tinker, thinker, reflect) and five activities (design challenge, human-centered design thinking process, collaborative prototyping, design charrette, individual/group reflection). These four phases are a map to Alberta Education’s process of planning, creating, appraising and communicating which can be found on pg. 42 (table 5-2) in the Toolkit. In Section 12 of the Toolkit, there are a variety of design challenges with corresponding CTF clusters and interdisciplinary connections. We encourage teachers to try one or two before tackling the design challenge for Skills Exploration Days. | Alberta’s Kindergarten to Grade 12 curriculum is designed to help students achieve their individual potential and create a positive future. The provincial programs of study identify what students are expected to learn and do in all subjects and grades. Career and Technology Foundations (CTF) provides students in grades 5 to 9 the opportunity to explore their interests within various occupational areas and technologies. Skills Exploration Days was designed to complement and support Alberta Education’s Career and Technology Foundations (CTF) Program of Studies. Each activity that students participate in at Skills Exploration Days corresponds with one of the CTF Learning Outcomes. | Learn all about the Skills Canada Alberta organization and the amazing programs we offer! | Becky Peterson | ||
| Maximizing Louisiana’s Incumbent Worker Training Program to Expand Workforce Development Outreach at Turner Industries Group, LLC | Turner Industries Group LLC | 2020-07-09 | Louisiana’s Incumbent Worker Program (IWTP) has offered employers the opportunity to reclaim its unemployment insurance contributions in the form of training for their incumbent employees for over 20 years. No other employer has been awarded and completed more IWTP grants than Tuner Industries. Since 2000, Tuner has completed nine (9) IWTP grants that provided funding of up to $1,000,000 for each grant. The IWTP program is a valuable resource to our workforce development team. The grant cycle referenced in this application provided $749,303.50 in state funds to provide training. Turner Industries provided $111,998.00 to co-fund classes selected for the grant cycle that are not fully eligible for grant funding, and we have a full-time employee to coordinate the IWTP grant administration, coordination, marketing, needs assessment, and evaluation. Through our partnership with LSU Online and Continuing Education and several industry-specific vendors, Turner has been able to offer training opportunities to its employees that may never have been available to them without this program. LSU is specifically adept in leadership training. Their signature program is “Fundamentals of Supervision.” This leadership class prepares our new foremen and supervisors with tools to properly lead their workers. Over the years, nearly 1,000 Turner employees have completed this training. “Workplace Investigations” is a course that LSU developed specifically for Turner under the grant program that is now a part of their public offerings. In addition to these and other leadership classes, LSU offers Certified Occupational Safety Specialist (COSS) and Certified Occupational Safety Manager (COSM) classes for safety professionals. IWTP can be used to provide industry specific vendor training. The Associate Builders and Contractors (ABC) Pelican Chapter is an example of this. They have always offered nighttime craft training for our new employees, but this program has allowed us to work with them to customize upgrade training for our returning employees. In the past we have used this program to conduct “seat time” training for our employees who have completed a crane operator program but were unable to gain enough seat time to work in our facilities. We worked with ABC to give several employees 50 hours of time in a crane using the grant, and we have worked with ABC to provide preparation classes for NCCER Crane and Rigging certifications. Turner and ABC have worked together to create upgrade classes in pipefitting, boilermaking, millwright, electrical, scaffold building, painting, hydroblasting and insulation to give instruction in the modules that have been historically the most difficult for craftsmen taking the NCCER assessments. Other industry specific classes provided include: Non-destructive testing (NDT) training that gives our new techs the skills and knowledge to perform new tasks, Precision Maintenance training helps our experienced millwrights improve their skills and prolong the life of the equipment they service, and HAZWOPER, asbestos abatement, and lead abatement training. IWTP program allows us to improve the knowledge and skills of our workforce while creating opportunities for advancement and providing a positive ROI. Our program provided a 300% return on investment for Turner Industries for 2019. | Workforce Development - Training & Retention | Revisiting Regional Needs Assessment, Course Selection, and Maximizing Company ROI | When the grant program began, courses selected for workforce development in this region were identified with a narrower scope of input and focused on the easy to assess needs. As the grant cycle continued, some of the courses were applicable to regional needs and others were not as clear of a need as it seemed. As the grant process matured and the workforce development department grew from one person to a team, the course selection process grew to include a detailed needs assessment to identify existing and anticipated needs of our workforce in order to determine courses to be offered using grant funding as well as those that would provide us the greatest return on investment in the event that company needed to match funds to provide the course. In addition to documenting needs of the workforce, this instrument was utilized to collect time and availability data to determine the best method to schedule and deliver content to the target audience if vendors provided flexible course delivery. This is not a one-time assessment. This process needs to be repeated every few years as workforce program matures and needs of workforce change. | Challenges of Collecting Data Across Multiple External Vendors to Fully Assessing Value of Program and Increasing Participant Response Rate | Ensuring a high rate of participant response on post-course evaluation is challenging enough when programs are run internally. The data collection process becomes even more challenging when third-party vendors are looped into the data collection process. While we gained the support of our third-party vendors and grant partners at the beginning of the grant cycle to connecting participants with program evaluations, our response rate was lower than anticipated. 1,199 courses were completed by 959 unique participants during the grant cycle. We received a total of 695 survey responses for a response rate of 57.96%. Although we communicated the importance of the data collection process to our third-party vendors there were multiple instances where vendors forgot to provide the post-course survey information to the participants. There also were instances when the participants simply chose not to respond. In future grant cycles, participants will be primed to anticipate a post course evaluation during course coordination and to ensure all participants receive an invitation to the survey, we will coordinate the evaluation program in-house instead of asking the vendors to assist with the process. | Develop a Reliable System to Market Courses to Job Sites in the Region in a Timely Manner | It’s essential to establish a communication plan and marketing plan as well as an enrollment/tracking process (see best practices) for courses provided through the grant. You need a plan of when and how to market planned courses to your eligible workforce to ensure course participation and continued eligibility for future grants. Participation in additional IWTP grants is gauged by the successful achievement of grant goals and utilization of grant dollars. If you do not meet the spending threshold, you will not be eligible to reapply for a select time period. Select courses are provided at limited times during the year instead of on a reoccurring basis. In order for job sites to participate in these courses, they need this information ahead of time to identify who should attend the course and to schedule coverage during training. Completion of courses identified when the grant was written and submitted for funding, prevents the need for submitting variances as well as the additional work that accompanies the request for variance. Due to the amount of tracking needed to monitor LWC grant success criteria and coordinate with multiple internal job sites and external vendors, a process must be put in place to ensure all parties are on the same page. | Selecting Grant Administrator and Partnering with Public Training Institution to Expand Course Offerings and Pool of Vendors | Companies working in Louisiana who wish to take advantage of IWTP should first select a “Public Training Provider” to partner with. Their role is as an administrator of the grants. As an administrator they are the “go-between” for the Louisiana Department of Labor (LAWorks), training vendors and the companies seeking to fund training for their employees. They will help companies navigate the application process. We suggest that you choose a provider that has experience in the IWTP process and offers a variety of classes that are beneficial to your company. Turner has completed nine (9) grants, and we have used LSU Online and Continuing Education as our administrator of each grant. Because we have worked with them for over 20 years, we have a seamless working relationship which has led to increasingly quick approval for each grant we have applied. LSU offers a wide variety of “People Skills” courses that are an excellent complement to the industry specific training we need for our workforce. The vendors you select should be those you are already familiar with that offer industry specific training. | Select Training that Makes Most Sense for Your Company Using IWTP Guidelines | While companies know the training needs of their workforce, the training also needs to be a good fit for the grant guidelines. When using IWTP funds, we suggest that companies limit instructor led courses to maximum length of five days and avoid online, self-paced courses. Longer classes tend to lead to more incompletions. The same is true for self-paced courses. IWTP will not pay for non-completions, so the total cost of the course will fall on either the training provider or the company. Utilizing publicly available courses delivered by the Public Training Provider can greatly expand the types of training offered using grant funds. We have found that LSU has outstanding offerings in “people skills” classes linked to certifications that are beneficial to our rising foremen, supervisors, safety professional, and support staff. Certification drives attendance and completion of courses. Training offerings from vendors that offer certifications and CEUs are particularly valuable as selections for IWTP. 89% of survey respondents indicated that course completion would help them earn a certification or maintain an existing certification. For industry specific courses, select offerings from vendors that you have experience with since it helps to know the training that is useful and that program participants will see the course as valuable. | Gain and Maintain Commitment from Upper Management by Keeping them Informed on the Program’s Progress and Added Value to Workforce Development | Companies that have the commitment of upper management exponentially increase the chance of a successful completion of the grant. This commitment will encourage site managers to use the training offered, assure cooperation of all departments who assist in completing the application, and provide “in-kind” funding needed to achieve the maximum amount of points needed for receiving a grant award. Site managers look to upper level management for guidance. Their encouragement to use the classes offered assures maximum participation. Parts of the IWTP application require assistance from departments (like legal, accounting, and operations). If upper management supports you, it is easier to obtain buy-in from the other departments. The IWTP application includes a rating form. This form is used to gather points. Those companies with the most points are selected over those with few points when determining who receives the award. Employer contributions will help you increase your points. Those with higher levels of contributions will receive more points toward the total. Training professionals must calculate a predicted dollar amount that senior management will need to commit in order to maximize points and increase the likelihood of receiving grant funding through IWTP. | Research Workforce Development Grant Opportunities Available in your city, region, state, and Workforce Development Region – WIA, and obtain buy-in from executive leadership for participating in grant opportunities and conducting workforce needs assessment for identified target audience according to the grant details. | Conduct a Needs Assessment to determine the training needs of the grant target audience as they exist today and anticipated needs for the next 3 – 5 years. | Select a workforce development partner with a history of coordinating grants between businesses and grant funding sources to help with the application process, tracking of grant progress, administration of the grant funds, and coordination of vendors to close skills gaps identified in needs assessment. | 2019 Corporate Social Responsibility Report | Informational Website with LWC IWTP Program Information, Custom Training FAQ, IWTP FAQ, Contract / IWTP Application, IWTP Forms, IWTP Samples (Customized Training Application, Signature Page, Contract, and Rating From), and IWTP Regional Contact Information | ROI Institute, Inc. helps organizations evaluate the success of projects and programs, including measuring the financial return on investment (ROI). The 12 Step ROI guide published by ROI Institute, Inc. was utilized in our program assessment. | Listing of Grant Awardees by Year and Month from 2012 to Present | LSU Online and Continuing Education Catalog – Spring 2020 | Elizabeth Beckham | ||
| Worley Workforce Development: The Four Pillars of Success | Worley | 2020-08-07 | At Worley, we take a holistic approach to workforce development. Extensive Research informs our decisions regarding workforce trends, skill gaps, and sources of new talent. From that information we implement Recruiting strategies to source and integrate new talent into our company. To Develop our employees to the highest operating levels of safety, quality and productivity, we provide robust progression programs with clearly defined learning paths that lead to industry recognized credentials in preparation for advancement to the next level. This investment in our people results in full employee engagement which ensures we Retain the talent we need to provide excellent service experiences for our clients. Research, Recruit, Develop, and Retain. Those are the Four Pillars of Worley’s Workforce Development Program. (See Four Pillars attachment) The Pillars provide a framework around which we have designed a comprehensive workforce strategy that encompasses the development, implementation, on-going analysis and continuous improvement of a multitude of workforce development initiatives, intended to work collaboratively to provide opportunities to find, hire, up-skill, and keep the best construction workforce in the industry. Additionally, the Pillars dictate that silos must be removed for success to be possible. The Workforce Development Team works closely with both Human Resources (HR) and Operations as employees move through their career life-cycle. We work with Operations to forecast upcoming project labor needs that will provide employment opportunities, utilize our strategic outreach program to identify local talent pools of potential employees, and collaborate with HR to recruit and hire. Once on board, we team up with on-site personnel to engage our employees through our Progression Programs and Achievement Recognition Initiatives, whereby we celebrate their accomplishment internally and externally. Finally, the view provided by the Pillars showcases the chain of events in which one desirable occurrence leads to another, which further promotes the first occurrence and so on, resulting in a continuous process of mutual improvement and benefit. That also happens to be Webster’s definition of a Virtuous Circle. (See Virtuous Circle attachment) When Workforce Development programs and initiatives are designed properly and implemented effectively, everyone wins. The employee is provided career growth opportunities; and employees who are engaged in robust training bring a new level of safety, morale, motivation, confidence, productivity & efficiency. Worley has a sustainable workforce model; moving people up to move people in. Our clients have a safe, skilled and productive workforce that is engaged in continuous improvement. Our industry benefits because very few craft professionals stay with the same organization throughout their career and somewhere down the road our competitors will benefit by hiring individuals that trained and worked for Worley. And the community will benefit by being provided high growth and high wage opportunities for their residents. Worley believed that implementing a robust well-designed workforce development initiative would produce a good return on our investment. We validated our belief on a large capital project in an area that had an extremely tight labor market, high turnover rates, unacceptable historical safety performance, schedule slippage and cost increase. We reduced turnover rates, reduced absenteeism, reduced TRIR, and increased performance/productivity. We calculated a reduction of the the total installed labor cost of 10%. This was a $500 mm project with the savings passed on to the client. (See KPI attachment) | Workforce Development - Training & Retention | Ongoing Understanding and Commitment for Sustainable Program Momentum | As with any organization the size of Worley, people inevitably come and go at every level, from bottom helper to Vice President. We recognized early that it takes an on-going commitment to successfully maintain program momentum. As an example, when the VP who initially introduced the Journeyman Certification Program retired, many thought the program would retire with him. While that was not the case and the organizational commitment goes beyond any individual, we recognized that some momentum had been lost during the transition. We frequently need to re-introduce our program to all newcomers in a timely fashion to ensure the programs and initiatives developed around the pillars continue to be utilized. For our site-based operations personnel, we utilize on-site training coordinators to explain the various programs within the four pillars to all new entrants onto our projects. The Workforce Development team works directly with new members of HR and Corporate Operations teams to provide an overview of the pillars and the accompanying programs that support them. | Effective Program Roll-out Communication | One of the core programs that was developed around the pillars is the Journeyman Certification Program (JCP). The goal of JCP is to certify our journey level workforce utilizing NCCER’s National Craft Assessment and Certification Program (NCACP). It was imperative that this program be communicated correctly to show the true intent. At the outset, the communication regarding the program was seen by some craft professionals as a requirement and not a benefit. We quickly recognized that the program perception was being viewed as a negative and it was vital that it be viewed as the benefit it was intended to be. NCCER Certified is the gold standard credential for Merit Shop Journeymen in our industry and the organization is committed to helping our employees earn that important credential. To clarify the intent and showcase the benefit to our employees, we refined the message and let our employees know that we provide the pre-assessment, individual training plan, and the NCCER assessment at no cost. Additionally, our analysis of the program validated that when our journeyman craft workforce utilize this system, their prospects of passing the certification assessment on the first attempt are greatly increased. | Pro-active Development: Train Before You Promote | The pillars and accompanying programs help guide us on how to find, hire, up-skill and keep the best workforce in the industry. We recognized that a major challenge is the retention of employees. We realized that too often individuals were being put into positions that they were not fully trained to be successful in, and often we would lose these people. We instituted a proactive approach to our programs and began utilizing the various programs to prepare individuals for the next stage of their career progression. Today our workforce is more prepared than ever for the next opportunity and our retention has increased as a result. | Effective Data Analysis to Develop a More Sustainable Workforce | After a thorough analysis of our craft professional and site leadership demographics, we recognized some potential issues on the horizon. The two most glaring issues are an aging workforce, nearly 40% of our craft professionals are 50 or older, and 11% were over the age of 60 and eligible to retire in the next 5 years. Combine that with the fact that our work crews in all craft disciplines are very top heavy with journeymen to helper ratios at 7:1.This left very little capacity at the semi-skilled and entry-level to bring in new talent. This crew-mix ratio was recipe for going out of business. We had to right-size our crews to increase our helper utilization to build a sustainable workforce. The result was we have effectively right-sized our crews on many projects to a 5:3 ratio, effectively adding more new talent capacity, and lowering composite crew-rates without negatively effecting safety, productivity, or quality. They key was effective develop programs to support the transition. This initiative saved our client's money and provided the means to a sustainable workforce. | Very often in our industry we will stand-up workforce development programs with only a vague understanding of the workforce challenges and problems we are trying to solve. The first step is do the research necessary to understand the challenges in order to set goals and objectives. Accurate workforce data from sources like CLMA is critical to this first step. Once you know your gaps and establish goals and objectives you can put together a workforce development plan, and associated cost for presentation to leadership for approval. It should be noted that during the research part, operations personnel should be included to provide anecdotal evidence of the workforce challenges they face on-site. Initial involvement with operations is critical to buy-in and support. | It cannot be stressed enough to communicate the workforce challenges, proposed solutions and expectations to all stakeholders at all levels of the organization. Top level corporate management so that they can provide the various types of support required for success; site based/operations leaders and supervisors because they have the greatest influence on employees; and finally, to your craft professional workers the benefit of participating in the develop program and the opportunity for advancement and lifetime employ-ability that training and credentials afford. The goal is to make believers in the plan that are anxious to participate. | Measure effectiveness for continuous improvement and celebrate accomplishments. We know that what gets measured gets done. Measure outcomes against your goals and revise and refine immediately when necessary. Innovation is the key to effectiveness, and you can't waste any time or resources on in-effective processes. To fully engage our workforce, it is critically important to celebrate their accomplishments. Do this at site-based events and intranet internal communications; and blast it out through social media externally. Nothing motivates employees more than to know that their employer truly values their efforts and accomplishments. | Matthew Clark | |||||||||||
| DC Water Works! A Local Hiring Initiative | District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority | 2020-08-10 | The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water) has arguably one of the largest capital programs in the District of Columbia metropolitan area with multiple large scale infrastructure projects over the next 10 years. We recognize these projects, such as the 2.7 Billion Dollar Clean Rivers Project, create lasting economic and environmental opportunities for the District, and we have a duty to ensure that local residents and businesses share in that opportunity. These projects are largely funded by District ratepayers, and for that reason DC Water launched the Water Works initiative. Included in the Board of Director’s Strategic Plan, the purpose is to connect local and District of Columbia residents with the approximate 100 new jobs created by DC Water contractors annually. Ambitious goals for DC Water Works have been set. Sixty percent (60%) of new jobs created by contracts are to be filled by local residents. New Jobs mean both union and non-union job openings, including vacancies created as a result of internal promotions, terminations or other separations, and expansions of the contractor’s workforce. Moreover, in support of these goals, DC Water Works is the principal referral source for all new jobs created for our projects – with an emphasis on placing District residents in those positions. In support of this initiative, DC Water Works partnered with several local municipal agencies and organizations, including the District Department of Employment Service’s Project Empowerment, and the Infrastructure Academy, to identify qualified candidates for the contractor opportunities. These goals are reviewed every two (2) years by DC Water to determine whether DC Water’s objectives are being achieved, based on performance, available procurements, and external conditions affecting contractor employment. Since the program’s inception, 307 contractor positions have been filled through DC Water Works. Of this amount, 287 individuals live in the local region, including 187 District residents. It is noteworthy that the DC Water Works Program is not a large program by design. Rather its training and placement components are “right-sized” based on the projections of our contractors. Because of the success of the program, in March 2020, the Board increased the local hiring goals from 60% to 75%. Additionally, due to the success of DC Water Works, in September 2019, DC Water implemented a new registered Apprenticeship Program - not for contractors, but one that created career pathways to DC Water directly. Our apprentices are paid employees working 2,000 hours of OJT and an additional 150 hours of classroom training. In its first cohort, 14 apprentices have been hired. | Workforce Development - Skilled Craft Labor | Support Services Are a Must | By design, the Water Works Program targets hard-to-place local residents. At the time of the program’s inception, the District had one of the highest unemployment rate in the country. Notably within the District, Wards, 7 and 8, consistently ranged in the double-digits in relation to the rest of the city. Moreover, upon review of the the socio-economic status of the residents of Wards 7 and 8, several key negative indicators were revealed. In addition to the high unemployment rate residents in the two wards: Experienced the highest homicide rate than the rest of the city, Had the lowest median income Had the highest percent of families living in poverty Had the lowest percentage of individuals with higher edcuation The following news link from WUSA featuring Mr. Chauncey Anderson, a Skills Trainee Graduate highlights this data: https://www.wusa9.com/video/news/local/dc/hes-been-shot-at-hes-lost-friends-inside-the-life-of-one-of-dcs-most-violent-neighborhoods/65-d2290800-360d-45b9-865b-2987388143a4?jwsource=em Therefore, for DC Water’s program to be successful, it had to focus on the social needs of the participant, other than just a job. To that end, every participant would have a case manager/ mentor to support them. Dc Water also worked with its strategic partners to identify additional support to include: bus/ rail passes, child care services, math and reading classes, clothes, resume writing services. | Managing Community Expectations | It was important to properly manage the community’s expectations – particularly concerning the number of new employment opportunities. Given the overall size of DC Water’s projects, many stakeholders in the community assumed that contractors would be creating thousands of jobs. However, the truth is that most of DC Water’s contractors were fully staffed already, and only a small portion of their contract positions would need to be filled. Moreover, most the open positions were for skilled laborers and operators. Accordingly, a large part of the community engagement effort involved managing expectations, a realistic forecast of the type and number of positions that would be created. Given the sharp contract between the forecast and expectations, this proved to be one of the most difficult undertakings of the process. To overcome this challenge, DC Water implemented a comprehensive change management and communication strategy to educate the community on the goals and expectations of the program. Included in the strategy was the establishment of the DC Water Works Strategic partners, inclusive of government agencies, union affiliates, labor organizations, and other community based associations. DC Water worked with its strategic partners to educate the public on the employment opportunities available through DC Water Works and encourage their participation. | Goals Only Approach Would Not Work | Another major challenge to DC Water Works was identifying skilled residents for job opportunities. This is particularly true since contractors are paying prevailing wages (i.e., $30.98 per hour for a general laborer). Therefore, a “goals only” approach was not sufficient. Accordingly, DC Water developed incorporated skills training into the program. The Skills Training component consists of three (3) stages: 1) Job Readiness Training; 2) Skills Training (Paid); 3) Job Placement Services for the Graduates of Stage 2. Actual training areas are based on the construction forecast and the expressed needs of project contractors. In FY 19, DC Water Works implemented four trainings: 1. Commercial Driver’s License Training: DC Water developed a 6-month Class A CDL program. 8 out of 9 participants 8 finished. All 8 are employed. 2. Facilities Training Program: DC Water, in partnership with the District Department of Employment Services provides On-the-Job Training for landscaping and painting. 3 participants were enrolled with 100% completing. All 3 are employed. 3. Welding Training Program: DC Water, in partnership with the Southeast Welding Academy trained 6 District residents to be certified welders. All 6 are employed. 4. Green Infrastructure Certification Program: Pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding between DC Water and the District of Columbia, there is a goal that 51% of new hires on projects with Green Infrastructure should be District residents. In support of this goal, DC Water partnered with the Water Environment Federation, and the University of The District of Columbia to develop a national green infrastructure certification training program. Nineteen participants graduated. Eighteen are employed. | Start off on the Right Foot - Engage, Engage, Engage | As part of the strategic planning process, DC Water was keen on working with the community in all aspects of the development and implementation of DC Water Works. To that end, DC Water engaged in the following efforts to involve the community: Stakeholder Meetings – During the development process, DC Water conducted more than thirty (30) stakeholder meetings with the community. While most of the meetings were held at DC Water, several meetings were held off-site, in the targeted communities to maximize individual participation. Surveys - DC Water conducted three (3) surveys one to the contractor community, and two to other not for profits. The purpose of the surveys was to understand how contractors make employment decisions, the types of jobs that are regularly needed, how sift skills training is conducted, and how individuals are identified/accepted into training programs. Water Works Task Force - Moreover, in 2014 DC Water constituted a “DC Water Works Employment Program Task Force”, that consisted of DC Water staff, contractors, government officials, unions, and training not for profits. The Task Force met bi-weekly for over eighteen months to develop/review the program components and engage with industry representatives. | Meet People Where They Are | In order to effectively engage with the public and encourage their participation, DC Water established the following: DC Water Job Centers - DC Water Works maintains two Job Centers to ensure residents are aware of, and can access employment opportunities. (In FY 2019), the Job Centers are at the following locations: DC Water 5000 Overlook Ave, SW Washington DC 20032 Anacostia Economic Development Corporation 1800 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, S.E. Washington, DC 20020 Individuals can visit or call any of the Job Centers during the hours of operation without reservation. During their visit, individuals interact with a member of the Water Works Team who assists them view current opportunities and complete applications as necessary Advertisement - In addition to posting Contractor employment opportunities on the DC Water website and sharing such opportunities with Strategic Partners, job listings are posted at the DC Water Works Job Centers, the District Department of Employment Services Job Centers, the District Public Libraries, and the University of the District of Columbia. Individuals seeking work can view/apply for employment opportunities. Employment Fair - DC Water sponsors at least one employment fair each year, at which: • Contractor employment forecasting and apprenticeship opportunities are identified. • Information on the Job Skills training program and the application process are explained. • Staff and Contractor representatives are available to potential applicants to discuss employment opportunities. | Begin with an assessment of the potential employers, their job requirements, and the target population. use this assessment to develop a potential job forecast and job needs assessment. A fact based program is critical to build support for the program and manage community expectations. | Identify local resources/ stakeholders to help support the program. There are a number of government and NGO’s in the community dedicated to job readiness preparation, skills training, and job placement services. By building alliances with such organizations, the burden on implementing a successful program (including financially) can be spread so that it is not so overwhelming. | Set achievable goals | The DC Water Works Website provides information about the program and includes a copy of the plan as approved by the Board of Directors. | Information concerning the Green Infrastructure certification program | This is an article from the Washington Post highlighting a graduate of the Green Infrastructure Training Program and referred employee to Anchor Construction | This is an article on Dc Water’s website regarding a hearing with the City Council. During the hearing three witnesses from Dc Water provided testimony: Korey Gray, Water Works Program Director, and two apprentices, Mr. Damon Sams and Mr. Richard Salmon. | This news clip highlights the struggles of Mr. Anderson, a DC Water Works Skill Trades graduate. In spite of his challenges, he serves as a Violence Interrupter to help combat violence in his community, the Woodland Terrace area of Southeast Washington, DC. | Linda Fennell | ||||
| IMPACT’s Ironworker Contractor University | IMPACT | 2021-06-29 | For over 50 years, the Ironworkers and IMPACT have provided technical skills training for apprentices and journeymen at their training facilities located in every U.S. state and Canadian province. However, in addition to technical skills, non-technical skills are essential as an ironworkers advance in their careers. Non-technical skills include, but are not limited to, leadership, management, communications, cost control, and technology. To provide the necessary training, in 2014, IMPACT launched an initiative called Ironworker Contractor University to produce a professional development program designed to cultivate strong non-technical skills in ironworkers, foremen, site supervisors, project managers, cost estimators, and executives. The primary objective of Ironworker Contractor University is to provide in-person, virtual, and on-demand learning opportunities that specifically target the development of non-technical skills. To achieve the primary objective, we established three target objectives: 1. Provide learning opportunities that foster an increase in business skills, resulting in stable trade contractors that are professional and profitable. 2. Provide learning opportunities that expand leadership and supervisory skills, preparing individuals to address construction situations that involve people, tasks, time, communication, obligations, cost, and safety. 3. Provide an avenue for ironworkers to expand their skills, advance their careers, and prepare to assume positions of greater responsibility. Ironworker Contractor University has been a tremendous success, as evidenced by the number of members who have participated in training and the positive feedback about the courses. The metrics below are a testament to the success of the program: • Number of in-person classes offered since 2014: 266 • Number of in-person participants since 2014: 5510 • Number of virtual classes offered since 2014: 32 • Number of virtual participants since 2014: 1574 • Number of states and provinces that have hosted in-person classes (Fig. 1): 37 • Performance improvement achieved (due to training) (Fig. 2): 14.46% • Increase in work quality (Fig. 2): 55.83% • Increase in work productivity (Fig. 2): 64.42% • Benefit to cost ratio (increased productivity versus per-person training cost) (Fig. 2): 7.23 • Return on Investment percentage (Fig. 2): 623% The following testimonials reflect the positive sentiment about the courses: • I have zero experience in the bidding and estimating process. After attending this class, I feel confident enough in the early stages of starting my business to perform good quality bids and take-offs. • I now understand the relationship between schedule, cost and budget better. • I am the Safety Consultant for our company. This (communications) training will be very helpful in continuing the process of building a safety culture. • The knowledge I gained in this course will cut cost, speed up jobs, and help me manage the workers. • I enjoyed the team exercises we worked on during the class. The feedback I was provided was great to hear but mostly I enjoyed working on giving Delta Feedback. That was difficult for me and the practice we had has helped me a lot. • I valued a lot from this class. I learned that I might not be fully communicating the right way to each individual and I believe that will be very helpful in my future. | Workforce Development - Training & Retention | Many courses will require frequent updating due to rapid changes in the construction industry. | Several of the courses in Ironworker Contractor University have required frequent updating, including all technology courses (such as Bluebeam Revu Fundamentals) and the Business Fundamentals Academy. Updates should occur as often as needed to stay current with trends in the construction industry. For example, the Business Fundamentals Academy has undergone a revision nearly every year since its inception in order to incorporate participant suggestions and also to remove content that is less relevant and add content that is more relevant to small business operations. The course, as currently delivered, reflects the information that is critical for a company to be successful during the early start-up and operations of their business. Similarly, the Bluebeam Revu Fundamentals course is modified each time the software undergoes a major revision (i.e., Bluebeam Revu 2017 versus 2019). IMPACT’s Ironworker Contractor University regularly reviews its course catalog and purges courses that are antiquated or outdated. This process of refreshing courses ensures that the program remains relevant and appeals to our members. | Evaluate course pre-requisites to be certain they are necessary for success in the class and eliminate pre-requisites that aren’t absolutely necessa | During early versions of the Business Fundamentals Academy, participants were assigned pre-work that we requested them to complete prior to attending the class. In nearly all cases, participants failed to complete the pre-work, and we quickly discovered that the incompletions made no difference to the participants’ success in the class. Consequently, we eliminated the requirement for pre-work and reduced the stress placed on participants, who often were working as field ironworkers during the day while trying to start their business at night. Similarly, Superintendent Training for Ironworkers has historically had a 20-hour on-demand online course that was a prerequisite for attending the three-day in-person hands-on course. For nearly every offering of the in-person course, several potential participants struggled to complete the on-demand online coursework and had to withdraw their participation in the in-person course. Recently, we began development of a revised self-assessment that will replace the 20-hour on-demand online course. Currently, participants are requested to complete two brief self-assessment questionnaires prior to the start of class. The first self-assessment focuses on the individual's experience, while the second self-assessment focuses on the individual's response to a fictitious but realistic project scenario. These self-assessments are used to tailor the content of the course to the specific participants. | Don’t sacrifice quality in order to reduce the length of a course. | In the early stages of the development of Ironworker Contractor University, IMPACT largely favored courses that could be taught in one eight-hour day. We incorrectly assumed that ironworkers and contractor personnel would not want to attend a course that was longer than one day because they needed to “get back to work.” However, several courses were ideally offered as two-day courses, and by reducing these courses to a single day, we also diminished the quality of the course. Thanks to a robust course evaluation program, our participants informed us that they would prefer the higher- quality but longer courses, and we made these changes whenever it was appropriate. Likewise, our Business Fundamentals Academy and Fundamentals of Cost Estimating and Bidding courses are each five-day courses because the content is extensive and reducing the length of the course would diminish the quality. We quickly learned the importance of focusing on quality rather than course length, and our participation rates have climbed significantly as the quality and quantity of courses has increased. | Develop and deliver specialty trade-specific courses using in-house specialists with the assistance of Subject-Matter Experts (SMEs) | Several Ironworker Contractor University courses have elements that are unique to the ironworking industry, including Business Fundamentals Academy and Fundamentals of Cost Estimating and Bidding. Consequently, these courses were developed by IMPACT in-house specialists explicitly for the ironworking industry. The development of these courses was managed by the Director of Professional Development, Dr. Cindy Menches, who is a licensed civil engineer with over 30 years of experience in the construction industry. Dr. Menches was actively involved in content development and was assisted by subject-matter experts (SMEs). These SMEs included field supervisors, local union business managers, and experts in construction accounting, estimating, project management, insurance, and marketing. These experts ultimately became the instructors, thus ensuring that each topic was taught by an expert who was familiar with the content and had extensive specialty experience. The use of SMEs has provided significant credibility, resulting in the following accolades: “I have attended several business classes related to ironwork and by far, the IMPACT classes were the most beneficial classes I have ever taken. The IMPACT instructors were all very well versed and knowledgeable on their specific sectors and they impressed me with their ability to make learning a business very easy for everyone.” | For non-technical, soft-skills courses, hire professional training organizations to supply the courses and conduct the training. | One of the most successful aspects of Ironworker Contractor University is the use of expert professional training organizations to provide courses that fall within the broad category of “soft-skills” courses. These courses address topics that include leadership, communications, customer service, time management, lean construction, and technology. When selecting professional training organizations, IMPACT utilizes a two-stage vetting process. In Stage 1, the Director of Professional Development schedules a pilot course with a small audience, and the participants are asked to evaluate the course content and instructor. If the course evaluations are favorable, the course is offered to a broader audience, and the course evaluations are again analyzed to identify the quality of the content and instructor. If the course, again, receives favorable evaluations, it becomes part of the course catalog. Any course that receives less-than-favorable evaluations is eliminated from further consideration. By implementing the highest quality courses and instructors, the feedback from our members has been overwhelmingly positive, as noted: “You asked me to give feedback on the communication class that was hosted by Impact. It was a great class and, only an hour into a new day, our guys have a different attitude. They are happy, engaged, and energetic. I cannot recommend this class highly enough.” | Focus on quality – instructors should be absolute experts on their subject-matter and should have outstanding teaching skills | The participants in the Ironworker Contractor University consist primarily of field ironworkers, field supervisors, company staff members, and company leaders. Consequently, these individuals have extensive experience in the construction industry and can quickly recognize whether or not a class instructor is an absolute expert on their subject-matter (such as communications or marketing). All instructors must be able to answer any subject-specific question with confidence and accuracy, which is used as an important measure of knowledge proficiency and teaching skill. IMPACT recognizes that professional training organizations have a team of instructors with varying levels of teaching skills. Therefore, every instructor is evaluated by IMPACT staff members and course participants. Any instructor that receives less-than-favorable evaluations is not invited to teach again, and a replacement instructor is requested. Requiring instructors to be absolute experts on their subject-matter has garnered critical respect, as noted by the following testimonial: “It was great to have instructors that are actually in the field doing what they taught. I’ve been to other trainings where instructors had never actually done what they were teaching. The way the class was taught gave a lot of insights into what I need to be successful.” | The first step to implementing an organizational “university” education program is to conduct a training needs assessment. Prior to developing the Ironworker Contractor University program and identifying appropriate courses, IMPACT launched a three-month training needs assessment survey to query members about their needs. The needs assessment survey process included distributing a digital questionnaire and conducting follow-up phone calls. The results were used to organize the education program into eight areas of competence and to identify potential courses within each area. Furthermore, the results allowed IMPACT to prioritize the implementation of specific classes based on the greatest need. | The second step to implementing a successful “university” education program is to employ in-house specialists, subject-matter experts, and expert professional training organizations to be part of your development and delivery teams. For trade-specific specialty courses, IMPACT employed in-house staff members, contractor personnel, and ironworkers at all levels to provide expertise during the development of trade-specific courses. For the non-technical “soft skills” courses, IMPACT staff members evaluated existing courses available from expert professional training organizations, and if the course content was relevant, the expert professional training organizations was invited to offer their course as part of the Ironworker Contractor University program. | The third step to implementing a successful “university” education program is to offer the courses in various locations around North America to make the process of participating convenient. IMPACT is divided into 13 Regional Advisory Boards, and each region is encouraged to host a course at least once per year. This process is closely coupled with the implementation of a robust course evaluation system that allows IMPACT to identify the most favorable courses within each region, to “spread the word” about the success of a course to other regions, and to quickly eliminate under-performing courses so that they are not offered multiple times before being eliminated. | Cindy Menches, Ph.D. | |||||||
| Workforce Development through Group Mentoring | Construction Users Roundtable | 2021-07-09 | Founded in 1994, the ACE Mentor Program of America (ACE) is a free, award-winning, afterschool program designed to attract high school students into pursuing careers in the Architecture, Construction and Engineering industry, including skilled trades. ACE is a federation of more than 75 affiliates (chapters), operating in 37 states and largely based in metropolitan areas, which deliver the program. More than 10,000 students, drawn from 1,400+ high schools, participate in ACE each year. Volunteer industry professionals, numbering over 4,500 mentor student teams through a simulation of designing and constructing a project, usually situated in communities where students live. In addition to the actual program, students have opportunities for internships and summer camps plus scholarships. Approximately $2.5 million in scholarships is awarded annually to high school seniors and alumni majoring in design and construction industry-related fields in college. The program has awarded nearly $23 million in scholarships since inception. Students headed into the skilled trades are also eligible to receive scholarships for training programs. More than 70% of ACE seniors enter college with an industry-related major or a skilled trades program. One-quarter of these students are the first in their families to attend college. The majority of ACE students (70+%) are minority. Large majorities of students report in surveys that as a result of their ACE experience they felt more motivated to attend college, learned skills and knowledge not taught in their classrooms, and gained useful information about the design and construction industry. ACE has earned the nation’s highest distinction for mentoring – the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring which was presented at the White House. In addition, the American Institute of Architects has bestowed two awards on ACE, one for collaborative achievement and the other for diversity. Visit acementor.org for more information about the program. | Workforce Development - Image & Recruiting | To make a direct impact on the workforce, ACE needed to commit to more than just high school programming. | The Executive Committee of the ACE Board of Directors knew that ACE was doing a tremendous job getting high school students interested and excited about careers in the construction industry. However, there was a significant population of students that were lost between high school and post-secondary education. To combat this challenge, the ACE Board established the Summer Experience Program, which provided internship positions to more than 400 high school students. These internships are intended to bridge the gap between the ACE program and college or trade school and to give the student a continued connection to their industry mentors. | Encourage best practice sharing by creating space for local programs to connect and share ideas. | One of the great things about ACE is that local leadership can form the program to fit the needs of their communities. While this is wonderful for local affiliate autonomy, it led to siloed programs with volunteers feeling as if they were reinventing the wheel. The ACE National team developed an ACE Mentor Tools site to help local programs connect and share idea. These tools include mentor teaching modules, students resources, best practices for leadership, and many more ideas for running a local program. | Strong national policies and procedures are needed to provide guidance and ensure safety at each local program. | As ACE grew around the country, national leadership learned the important of more centralized control. Housing the infrastructure of ACE in the national office ensured the consistency of programming across regions. This infrastructure includes background checks for mentors, a centralized database for student tracking, insurance across the whole program, and a tools and blog site to allow affiliates to work independently while sharing ideas and resources. | Relationship building is key to creating school champions for local programs. | The ACE Mentor Program, or any high school level program, cannot succeed without the buy in of school leadership. In order to ensure that students find their local ACE program, it is a best practice that local boards of directors include local school board members or other “school champions.” These school champions are key to recruiting and retaining students. | Providing mentors with tools, training, and preparation is key to mentor satisfaction and retention. | Through the development of the ACE Mentor Tools, ACE has been able to ensure best practice sharing and consistency across programs. These tools have been carefully curated to include the full spectrum of roles in the construction industry. Prepared and informed mentors are better able to serve students while also ensuring that students are prepared for whatever career pathway they choose to explore. | Committed, long-term partners are critical to financial success and longevity. | ACE partners, donors, and board members are critical to ACE's success. Raising over $1M annually, the donors support the infrastructure of ACE, ensuring the financial stability and longevity of the national program. Many of these partner firms have been supporting ACE for over 20 years. These partner also provide mentors, board members, and financial support to local affiliates, allowing volunteers to run the program without concern for funding. | Because ACE programs exist around the country, the best advice for industry stakeholders is to get engaged with ACE locally. The first step is to reach out to an ACE Regional Director to find an affiliate in your area. | To replicate the success of the top ACE programs in the country, it is important to use the ACE network, study the best practices, and engage local decision makers in the process. | Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the most successful programs have robust internship program. The best way to ensure that high school students find their pathway in construction is to hire ACE graduates as interns. | This website is resource for mentors to offer consistent and comprehensive workforce development programming. | An annual report showing support from all aspects of the industry. | A video showing the impact of ACE scholarships. | ACE works to ensures that the program serves a diverse population of students. | Various testimonials directly from ACE student surveys. | Stephanie McNeely | ||
| We Build Better Through Innovation | Performance Contractors, Inc. | 2021-07-09 | Our mission can be summed up by our corporate motto ‘We Build Better.’ When we say We Build Better we are not just talking about ourselves. We are talking about the people and communities in which we live and work in. We are talking about creating a lasting work environment where everyone can succeed. And most importantly, we are talking about using the latest and most innovative techniques to train, retain and develop our employees. As our industry grows and construction projects spread across the country, it is now more difficult than ever to train and track employees while providing them a sustainable career with growth opportunities. Performance Contractors, with over 4,100 employees working in 12 different states on 65 different jobsites, has taken this challenge head on! In this application, we are going to cover how our workforce development program utilizes innovative technologies to maintain compliance and develop our workforce. Our entire field training process has been updated and streamlined to ensure that all employees, regardless of location, have an efficient and effective method to stay in compliance with company, client, and OSHA policies. Considering much of our workforce does not have daily access to computers, we have implemented a SMS text message platform to effectively reach all employees. Our in-house video department creates safety and training videos that are now housed in an online Learning Management System (LMS). The LMS allows all employees to access training via their cell phone. The results of training are immediately and automatically uploaded into our HR/Training database. This eliminates paper test, scanning, grading and manually inputting data. While the implementation of this new training technology is huge, being able to easily access employee training records is just as important. For this reason, Performance has invested in employee scan cards as well as the latest reporting technology. A supervisor or safety professional can now scan an employee’s badge with their cell phone and access the employees entire training records via applications created in-house. Often, industry focus is on safety and craft training. At Performance, we believe in training our Supervision just as much! Our new Field Leadership Initiative Program (FLIP) was created to address this. Specialized training is deployed to our Field Leaders in various formats. This ranges from videos housed in our LMS to one-on-one trainings from our dedicated Field Training Coordinators. The new implementation of training technology does not just reside on our jobsites. It has become a staple in our entire training and onboarding process. An investment was recently made to acquire 4 virtual reality crane simulators. Now, operators can train on a specific piece of equipment in a controlled environment, allowing Performance to evaluate their skills before sending them to a jobsite. Our employees are our most valuable resource. Their well-being is our responsibility. From our new Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that offers personal help to employees; to our safety, craft, and supervisory training; the use of technology allows us to service the employees we value so much! | Workforce Development - Training & Retention | Baby Boomers and Technology | New technology is great, but it is important to remember the needs of our greatest generations, the baby boomers! What is common and easy to understand for one generation may not be so common and easy to understand to other generations. That is why it is important to have a game plan on how you are going to accommodate diverse groups. At Performance Contractors, we have a team of training coordinators deployed throughout the company that provide one on one training to our workforce on emerging technologies. New technology can be scary to some but with the right mentors and one on one training we can all use these new tools to make our industry a safer and more efficient workplace. | Real time communication is key | With ever changing regulations and new policies, procedures, and best practices coming out daily, it is important to have an effective way to communicate with your employees. Therefore, Performance Contractors invested in new SMS text software. One thing we learned is that people want to do the right thing, they want to follow company procedure and best practice, but they often lack up to date information. For example, most front-line leaders do not have access to computers, but they do have access to cell phone. Therefore, we decided to communicate with our employees directly on their mobile device. Whenever a new policy or procedure is released, employees receive direct text message communication. From there they can verify understanding or request more information. We have also created the Performance Portal App which can be directly downloaded to your mobile device. The Performance Portal App gives employees easy access to company documents, company news, and company policies and procedures. | Turnover rate in the construction industry | With construction jobs starting and finishing every day across many state lines, it is no secret that turnover rate is an industry wide concern. When polling employees what is most important to them about the company they work for, you will be surprised that “money or pay” is not at the top of the list. The #1 and #2 reason employees stay with a company is “feeling included or being a part of the team” and “advancement and career track opportunities”. Often companies who work across the country with thousands of employees lose track of their employees. The employees feel disconnected at times. With our SMS text platform that was built in house, we can communicate with everyone efficiently. We send everything from training to “Performance News,” company messages and Employee Assistance Program (EAP) information. The EAP supports employees regarding everyday issues like family, relationships, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and more. It offers videos and trainings along with the ability to speak to professionals and counselors. The service is anonymous and is offered by a third party. Management receives reports about the topics that were accessed so they can address any common concerns, but the individuals’ identities are kept confidential. Together these services have proven to reduce our turnover rate as they keep the employees connected with a feeling of “family”. | Invest in Technology | Being a leader in workforce development within a competitive industry means embracing new ideas and technology. With company, client, and OSHA training requirements, managing employee training for over 4,000 employees can be difficult. It is much more difficult if you do not have the right tools in place to be successful. The days of delivering paper assessments and tracking employee training on spreadsheets is long gone. To be successful, you need a system in place to administer, document, track, and report on employee training automatically. Therefore, Performance Contractors has invested in Microsoft AX to store information, Microsoft Power BI to report on information, and Absorb Learning Management System to electronically facilitate employee training. | Field Leadership Initiative Program (FLIP) | A better trained field leader is a safer, more productive leader. For this reason, Performance Contractors created its Field Leadership Initiative Program (FLIP). FLIP is a supervisory workforce development program that focuses on training, mentoring, and communicating career development with current and future field leaders. FLIP consists of a series of short training videos focused on best practices in safety, quality, productivity, and leadership. Each video is designed to spark interaction between the different levels of field management. The videos are sent directly to the supervisor’s mobile device. Once the supervisor completes the video, they meet with their field leader to verify understanding then take that information to their crew. The goal is to close the knowledge gap between top field management and front-line management. Copy and paste below link to view video of our CEO / President Kevin Courville announcing the FLIP Program. https://player.vimeo.com/external/405985117.hd.mp4?s=928c5014b431df3c2af0ceef060fde07e3b0217f&profile_id=175 | Just In Time Training Approach | The concept of just in time training refers to providing employee training when it is needed rather than ahead of time. The means getting the training before the task takes place rather than in case the task takes place. There are multiple benefits to just in time training. Often training gets a bad reputation in our industry because employees are burnt out with it. For years, employees have been forced to sit in classes for hours at a time covering information they may or may not need to know. Modern workers require modern solutions. This is one of the main reasons our company invested in Absorbs state of the art Learning Management System. The LMS puts employee training and other helpful information right at their fingertips. It allows employees to learn at their own pace and to gain knowledge of the work procedure just before the work takes place. This leaves the information fresh on their mind and ultimately leads to a safer more productive workplace. | The first step is to ensure executive level management is onboard and invested in the program. Without support from the decision makers and people invested in the success of each program, we would not be where we are today. | The second step is to set goals and develop an execution plan. Do not wait for everything to be perfect before starting, rather begin with what you have and shape the program as you go. | The third step is to track and analyze progress so that changes and modifications can be made to improve the program’s performance over time. Also, during this step, check on the technology available to streamline the process. | This tour of our HR Training facility shows evidence of the technology we have in place including our crane simulator. | Watch our CEO / President Kevin Courville announce and explain the FLIP Program. | Use link for an overview of Performance Contractors Employee Assistance Program (EAP). | We are leaders in the gulf south bringing DoD Skillbridge program to employers. | See above link for details on our partnership with NextOp. | Kenny Derouen | ||
| Central Gulf Industrial Alliance (CGIA) Endorsement and GradConnect Program | Central Gulf Industrial Alliance (CGIA) | 2021-07-28 | The Endorsement and GradConnect Program is a nationally recognized training evaluation process for regional industrial craft training programs to ensure these operate at or above industry standards and meet the workforce needs of the member’s industries. The Program involves industry subject matter experts from member companies that volunteer to evaluate the programs curriculum, training standards, safety standards, facilities, etc. and determine if the program meets industry standards in order to earn an endorsement at the Gold, Silver, or Bronze levels. CGIA also offers the opportunity for programs to improve in order to receive a future endorsement. CGIA-endorsed programs are offered countless benefits, including donations from member companies, access to guest speakers, industrial facility tours and being highlighted on CGIA’s website. Placement of graduates of CGIA-endorsed programs is achieved by matching graduates with member companies via CGIA GradConnect. CGIA GradConnect is a member’s only job board provided by CGIA that gives employers direct access to highly qualified graduates from CGIA-endorsed programs. CGIA GradConnect connects qualified, top-level graduates to a position best suited to their talents, with the goal of creating a long-term, successful career that benefits both the employee and the employer. | Workforce Development - Skilled Craft Labor | Resource Optimization | CGIA took a comprehensive look at the workforce shortage in our region and became proactive about connecting training providers to industry to develop a strong network of resources to fill the gap in the workforce pipeline along the gulf coast. Since CGIA has a small staff and they rely on member companies to provide SME’s for the training program reviews, CGIA learned to prioritize efforts based on CLMA data as well as availability of volunteers serving as subject matter experts. | Communication | A critical aspect of both the Endorsement Program and GradConnect is the ability of our members to understand the purpose of the tools created. As time progressed, both training providers and industrial partners speak the language and are aware of the resources available. | Consistency | In order to protect the validity and reliability of the Endorsement Program, a significant amount of time and energy has been invested to ensure consistent reviews and rankings based on a standardized rubric. The process is not dependent on the type of program being reviewed, rather, the standards required to be endorsed. | Standardized Evaluation Process for Regional Industrial Craft Training Programs | By creating a standardized evaluation process, the Endorsement Program allowed our alliance to verify training providers were providing instruction at or above industry standards across multiple career clusters to successfully fill the talent pipeline along the central gulf coast. | Matching qualified graduates/craftsmen to Industrial careers | By developing GradConnect, CGIA was able to serve as the liaison between training providers and industries. Our database ensures a clear understanding of the craft programs offered at various locations and includes access to instructor and graduate information for HR professionals to use to expedite the recruitment process in our region. | 360-degree evaluation | We work directly with training providers and subject matter experts from industry to create a 360-degree evaluation of training programs, including self-evaluation, SME review, and employer feedback to identify the level of endorsement. | The first step in replicating the success of the Endorsement Program is for another organization to sign a confidentiality agreement with CGIA. The confidentiality agreement allows CGIA to disclose confidential information, including the Industrial Trades Training Program Review Tool, and was developed so that other organizations can replicate the program once they are trained on the different segments of the process. | Due to the standardization of content of the Industrial Trades Training Program Review Tool CGIA uses, it is very important that the process is consistent. Therefore, representatives from other organizations should connect with CGIA staff to be instructed on how to utilize the tool and other materials, including the CGIA Endorsement Program Binder, which is a one-stop source for all of the information and resources facilitators and prospective programs will need throughout the review process. | Ensuring enough resources are available from the lead organization is also important. Resources include time to prepare for, conduct, and finalize each review; talent from subject matter experts for each industrial craft; and financial investment to cover staff, travel, and stationary consumables for each review. | CGIA’s homepage summarizes the mission of the organization and allows members to navigate resources. | CGIA’s Workforce Development page summarizes the key functions of the subcommittee. | This page summarizes the Endorsement Process and outlines benefits of becoming a CGIA-endorsed Program. | This page is designed for both employers and graduates to connect talent to the hiring pipeline for industry. | Hayleigh Barlar | |||
| Fluor Project Based Workforce Development Program, Large Scale Greenfield Biopharma project in North Carolina, USA. | Fluor Corporation | 2021-08-09 | From 2016 to 2020 Fluor executed a mega project ($1.8B TIC) for the life sciences industry in North Carolina. With a booming labor market and a project with large scale and complexity, Fluor’s EPC execution model combined a 50% direct hire, 50% subcontracted craft workforce along with hundreds of client, Fluor, and trade partner staff members. Fluor’s leadership team focused on people to achieve mutual benefit of personnel betterment and project execution quality. A robust training program was undertaken to address Safety and Technical aspects of the project. From basic safety orientation to skilled craft hygienic welding certifications, hundreds of people advanced their careers through opportunities the project supported, while delivering a greenfield pharmaceutical facility. Training was not singularly focused, but supported Safety, Quality, Technical Skills, Soft Skills and Leadership. Training extended to the client, Fluor direct hire craft and staff, and the trade partner personnel base through Fluor’s Construction Management role. The Technical Skill development was critical to project execution success given the magnitude of the workforce required to deliver this project and specialty requirements of the pharmaceutical industry. Highlights of the program include the following: • 600+ NCCER Certifications • 100 OSHA 30 Certifications • 75 NFPA 70E Certifications • 27 Qualified Hygienic Orbital Welders trained • 45,000+ HSE training hours The project finished with approximately 11 million on-site manhours and 14,000 individuals who supported the project directly. Over 125 installing companies and more than 75 material and equipment vendors supported the project from around the world. Fluor’s direct employee workforce peaked at approximately 150 construction management staff and 1,200 direct hired construction craft. Hundreds of people achieved personal career advancements as a direct result of the skills developed and demonstrated on this project, made possible in no small part by the commitment of project leadership to the workforce who made this project successful. | Workforce Development - Skilled Craft Labor | Understanding Labor Markets and Project Labor Requirements | Often barriers to success on construction projects are focused on technical issues and technical solutions are pursued. A tight labor market with low unemployment, rising wages, and largely inexperienced skill level at a specific location were all barriers that this project had to overcome. The latter barriers are more abstract and sometimes appear larger than the project itself, but this project had the ability need, and ability to address these challenges. The project provided modern facilities, on site health resources, the associated training programs, competitive and incentivized pay structures, and other aspects of general investment in people to ensure the ability to resource load the project to meet the project schedule. This challenge also meant having the ability to assess skill levels so that resource numbers did not simply meet a forecasted body count but were able to deliver the scope. High turnover or low productivity that comes from large numbers of unskilled craft can cost projects millions of dollars and delays in schedule. The training programs implemented on this project directly mitigated these risks. | Recognizing Specific Shortages in Specialty Trades and Taking Action to Mitigate – Hygienic Piping Example. | Expanding on the lesson in Question 10, hygienic piping is an example of a specific labor shortage that developed over the course of the project. Resource availability was strained by booming markets in other regions of the country and even workloads within the local project area. Resources supported the project on a merit shop basis, and three trade partners were engaged by plan to execute the work. Schedule shifts, material shortages, and low performance efficiencies compiled to indicate the resource demand would exceed that contracted in the original plan. Project leadership looked outside the local market to a fourth trade partner to take on scope. This approach improved the project delivery challenges but did not fully remedy the lack of resource situation. The decision was made to train existing resources performing non-hygienic pipefitting and welding to supplement the hygienic piping scope to fulfill the total demand of the project. The project-based workforce development program was utilized, and twenty-seven people were certified on hygienic welding, the scope was divided, and the job ultimately delivered with five companies performing hygienic piping scope in concert with one another. | The Owner’s Role, Mutually Beneficial Goals, and Return on Investment. | Engage the owner during the planning phase to align on risks needing mitigation. Identify the benefits of utilizing a formal training program to mitigate these risks. Short term benefits do make extensive training programs viable on large multi-year projects. On smaller projects, much of this training may rely on off-site corporate programs. During the bidder pre-qualification and bidding phase, trade partners should be engaged at the management level to identify what they can bring to the training and development program and ensure buy-in support to the program. This project, like all major projects, needed establishment and alignment of goals. With the number of companies involved in executing this project, alignment of goals that motivated different entities to work to a common target supported efficiency. In the early stages of the project, safety challenges identified a need to pivot the training and engagement program to change the trend. Identification of common goals related to safety and commitment to safety across all levels of the project was a critical step influencing the trend and the personal impacts that trend represented. Pivoting the training program to adjust focus to root causes of specific issues experienced allowed the project to deliver goals that ultimately protected the people they were established to benefit. | Investments in Safety pay Dividends in Other Aspects of Projects. | The construction industry has proven time and again that successful safety programs reduce overall project costs related to insurance claims. Sometimes questions are raised about the financial investment required to make a safety program successful. This project found that the most effective investment in safety was CM engagement through STA “adopt-a-crew”, “safer together” all hands feedback sessions, and officially identified field safety champions in our Craft Leadership Team members. Small group engagement sessions between craft and senior leadership (removing middle management to encourage honesty), similar group engagements with line management about expectations and support needs, and peer-to-peer influence programs (such as a craft leadership team) all created an environment where behavior-based influence drove the job. This started with senior leadership’s behavior-based investment to spend time and truly listen to the craft workers on the job rather than simply spending money or implementing endless rules with no true connection to the people that made the project successful. Ultimately, the TRIR was driven down across the life of this project by the engagement investment made by the CM team. | Utilizing Networks and Organizations with Established Structures to Ensure Credibility and Reduce Burden. | A key cornerstone of any training program is credibility. Accreditation of curriculum exists to protect the industry. Industry advancement, both for individuals and companies, depend on standards that can translate across region, market, and time. Job applicants with falsified credentials or embellished experience levels were quickly identified and weeded out through assessment standards within the programs. Continued employment on the project was enabled for employees whose development advanced through these programs. Utilizing NCCER removed the burden of developing assessment and training criteria. It also enabled training of trainers and ensured auditable, consistent development. Utilizing OSHA standard modules for training such as OSHA 30 allowed baselining of employees on hazard recognition. These training programs enabled resume building credentials for employees to carry forward in their career. Several craft made transitions from tools to safety supervision. Many more made in-line advancements through their discipline. Additionally, in an industry that is largely transient for employees, a multi-year project can drag down worker morale. Multi-year projects also afford the opportunity to provide training programs which can directly combated morale issues by providing advancement. | CM connecting with Craft on the relationship between quality and cost of rework. | Fluor’s self-perform hygienic welding quality success was based on the craft persons clear understanding of the cost of rework. The balance of the time for quality set up and quality first time execution weighed against the time and effort to rework a failed weld. Nearly every failed weld we performed, we suspected may fail due to constraints that could not be overcome in set-up. The best practice was to instill in the hygienic crew that first time quality was critically related to cost and schedule. Weekly metrics were used to reinforce the impact of quality on performance (total hour per finished field weld). | Get started, do not wait until your plan is perfect or your program is fully defined. It will develop as it progresses and waiting to “get it just right” will be a detriment to the overall success. Determine a topic you want to address and begin moving forward with it. Reach out to peers and industry relationships for guidance and advice. Do not try to develop it all from scratch. Invest in a program coordinator who is motivated by the topic and strives to serve others. Set aggressive goals and measure against them. | Look for internal and external connections that are motivated by knowledge sharing and service to others. The internal members will surprise you with knowledge and skills that you may not know they possess. These internal resources will also provide the program momentum and peer-to-peer influence for participants. Utilize external organizations so that the program does not have to recreate curriculum content and the training is credible in the industry. | Structure the program with rewards and recognitions so that people are motivated to participate in the program, see long term benefits for themselves, and set the example for future rounds of participants. | This is a basic statement about Fluor commitment to workforce development. The company has provided workforce development programs since before the Fluor / Daniel Construction merger, in which Daniel Construction brought a well developed training program for construction craft. In current day, Fluor has full scale workforce development training centers (including the primary one in the Texas gulf coast), and a team of corporate employees that utilize NCCER and other training organizations as well as in-house expertise to ensure our workforce develops to support our business today and into the future. Whether in offices, on owned & operated fabrication yards, or on project sites, Fluor is committed to bettering our employees as we Build A Better World. | Video about Fluor’s commitment to workforce development. | Project success video. | NCCER Construction Training, Education, Workforce Development, and Accreditation | NC DOL OSHA Training Website | Justin Lamb | ||
| Green Buildings Career Map: Supporting Entry and Advancement in the Energy Efficiency Industry | Interstate Renewable Energy Council, Inc. | 2021-08-13 | Workforce development issues consistently rank as a top concern for employers in the green buildings and energy efficiency industry. In fact, the 2020 U.S. Energy and Employment Report found that 91% of construction employers in energy efficiency reported that it was somewhat difficult or very difficult to hire new employees! With this sector expected to grow, it is increasingly clear that new approaches and resources will be needed to create a more robust pipeline of well trained workers for energy efficiency careers. To this end, the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, with support from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building Technology Office and industry subject matter experts, recently launched the Green Buildings Career Map. The Map aims to increase the number of qualified workers for green building and energy efficiency occupations by connecting with populations that might not otherwise be aware of or consider these kinds of careers. Many potential workers, including students and early career professionals, lack awareness of rewarding career opportunities in home performance, HVAC, and weatherization. Building Performance Association (BPA) CEO, Steve Skodak explains, “BPA recently conducted outreach to over 400 members and discovered that career opportunity awareness and training accessibility is a barrier to industry growth. We hope the Career Map will encourage individuals to consider a career in energy efficiency, highlight well-paying jobs, and reach those in underserved populations.” The Green Buildings Career Map is a highly interactive online tool that explores 55 jobs across four major sectors of the green buildings and energy efficiency industry. The Map also charts possible progression between these occupations ensuring users understand possible career advancement routes and opportunities (over 300!). Job details, skills and requirements, and recognized credentials are included for each of the jobs on the Map. It demonstrates the breadth of the green buildings and energy efficiency industry with a focus on some of its critical occupations The Green Buildings Career Map can be used by many different audiences including educators, career-advisors, jobseekers, employers, policymakers, and workforce professionals. Job seekers can identify career opportunities, while teachers, trainers, and career counselors can use it to help students see career paths stemming from different training options. Employers can attract talent by showing prospects the long-term career potential of different roles. The map also includes a section on “New-Collar” jobs within the industry—jobs that do not require a traditional four-year degree, but rather rely on gaining skills through on-the-job training, high school technical education, on-the-job apprenticeships, vocational schools, technical certification programs, community colleges, the military, and internships. This feature aims to help underserved groups, including people in low-income communities, see the opportunities to directly enter a rewarding and skilled career without expensive schooling. IREC is currently in the midst of a two-year outreach period to reach thousands of stakeholders around the country with information about the Map and energy efficiency careers. | Workforce Development - Image & Recruiting | Building a valid Career Map requires a passionate team of Subject Matter Experts and a strong facilitator. | Industry validation is important to the success of a career map. Having a team of subject matter experts (SMEs) with varied backgrounds, who are well versed in the industry, ensures end users are presented with accurate information, free from bias. It is important that end users are confident that the career paths articulated in the map are realistic. Experienced SMEs know what employers seek and strive to provide the most accurate information. Each SME has a level of understanding of what skills and traits are necessary to be successful in industry occupations, giving the end user a vision and a direction to explore, along with a sense of what it will take to get there. Additionally, having a strong facilitator with industry expertise will help ensure a valid outcome. Each SME brings a unique and passionate perspective to the process and discussions can become spirited as SMEs debate what careers to include in the career map. It is important the facilitator has the skill sets and knowledge to challenge the SMEs thought processes, while simultaneously bringing the SME group to a consensus when different ideas are presented. | When building a nationwide career map, salaries and hourly wages for specific job titles can vary greatly. | Salaries and hourly wages vary greatly from state to state and region to region. Even within a given state, wages can differ between urban and rural regions. The U.S. Government Bureau of Labor Statistics ratings can help significantly with salary data when a specific job title is classified under the Standard Occupational Classification System, known as SOC codes. However, in many newer or targeted industries, including the green buildings and energy efficiency industry, job titles do not have a formal SOC code. Jobs can also have alternate titles, adding to the challenge of identifying accurate salary information. In order to ensure geographic salary differences were represented in the GBCM, salary and hourly wage data is presented as a range. Users are able to conduct further localized research, on job boards for instance, where more accurate information is provided on local wages for a job. | A robust outreach plan is an instrumental part of a successful career map. | Developing a high-quality career map is only part of the equation. A strong outreach initiative is paramount to ensure the career map reaches the intended audience. IREC experienced this challenge firsthand with its two previous career maps —the Solar Career Map and the Careers in Climate Control Map (HVAC/R). For these earlier maps, available funds were mostly for development and only included a short outreach window. Even with IREC’s robust connections to clean energy industry stakeholders, it became clear a longer-term outreach plan with corresponding funds was needed to increase the impact of these online tools. When applying for U.S. Department of Energy funding to develop the Green Buildings Career Map, IREC included in its project plan a robust, multi-year outreach effort. In this initiative, IREC has the funding and a comprehensive outreach plan to maximize the return on investment for the Green Buildings Career Map. Since the GBCM was launched IREC conducted a webinar on how to use the map with over 200 people in attendance. It has been covered in many publications, including New America (https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/edcentral/community-colleges-green-jobs-irec-energy-efficiency-careers-that-dont-require-degrees/), Construction Dive, and Utility Dive, Facility Executive, Building Performance eJournal, and Fine Homebuilding Podcast. IREC and its partners have also generated nearly 50,000 impressions on information about the Map via social media, email, external websites, conference presentations, and webinar views. | A Career Map must be engaging and user-friendly. | In today’s world of mass media, where visual representations often trump the written word, it is critical that tools for career exploration, job recruitment, and retention are engaging and highly interactive. Competition for students’ and job-seekers’ attention is intense. The ubiquity of smartphones, tablets, and computers, where users have immediate access to information, intensifies the need for online resources to be interesting, engaging, and informative. Additionally, building trades jobs have been stigmatized, with many in younger generations indicating less interest in trade jobs as four-year colleges have been lauded as the route to success. Developing an online tool that is easily accessible, user-friendly, and visually appealing can create excitement about the opportunities that exist for high-quality, well-paying, jobs with clear career advancement opportunities. | It is important to identify the right organization or company to help develop the career map. Choosing an organization or company that has strong industry knowledge, the right educational expertise, and savvy web design capabilities will help ensure success of the project. That organization needs to have a comprehensive understanding of the entire value chain for development. | Industry validation is important to the success of a career map. Having the correct team of subject matter experts (SMEs) with varied backgrounds, who are well versed in the industry being “mapped” will ensure end users are getting the most accurate information to help with their decision-making. The backgrounds of many SMEs often mirror the types of advancement pathways that are represented in a career map, bringing additional authenticity to the process. | Do not underestimate the importance of a detailed outreach plan that includes a wide variety of promotional outlets, including in-person events, where demonstrations of the career map can be given. The map only becomes successful when individuals use it. The goal is to get it in the hands of as many people as possible. Identify all the organizations that would benefit from seeing the map and contact them. Once on board, they can share the map with their members and similar stakeholders. | This is the URL for the Green Buildings Career Map. | IREC’s landing page for all three (3) of its career maps - Solar Career Map, Careers in Climate Control Career Map, and Green Buildings Career Map. | Mary Lawrence | |||||||||
| Filling the Gaps: Alaska Safety Alliance addresses workforce training, safety, and operational efficiency through employer collaboration. | Alaska Safety Alliance | 2021-08-13 | The closure of the Alaska Field Federal Safety and Health Council left a significant unmet need for workers and industry in Alaska. With many high-hazard industries operating in the 49th state, Alaska was in need of a centralized safety council to foster and support safe workplaces, and workforce development and training. This opportunity allowed the Alaska Safety Alliance (ASA) - previously known as Alaska Process Industry Careers Consortium - to rebrand and prioritize the needs of Alaskan industries and workers. Now established as Alaska’s regional non-profit safety council, ASA has successfully introduced nationally accredited reciprocal training to Alaskan industries. Aligning workforce safety and innovation, in 2020 ASA fully modernized the North Slope Training Cooperative (NSTC) Unescorted 8-hour course. Previously only delivered in a classroom setting, the NSTC Unescorted safety program has now been fully converted to an interactive online training, vetted and approved by all major North Slope oilfield Operators (ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Hilcorp, Oil Search, and Eni). This training is now presented online as a self-paced training with required proof of competencies, allowing individual trainees to avoid health hazards during a global pandemic while still preparing them to work safely. In 2020, ASA also created a brand-new computer-based training program, North Slope Orientation (NSO). This Alaska-specific program pairs with a nationally accredited reciprocal training, Basic Orientation Plus (BOP). The successful completion of these two courses (NSO+BOP) allows fully trained workers to transit between Alaska and other states and work sites, with fully recognized and reciprocal training credentials. The reciprocal training allows for quick onboarding and mobilization of the workforce, saving many hours of re-training, and significant travel and accommodation costs. All training credentials issued by Alaska Safety Alliance are stored and accessed in ASA Online; a secure online verification platform for workers and industry employers. Alaska Safety Alliance also actively supports apprenticeships. Oil and gas is an essential part of industry and a major employer in Alaska, but very few O&G employers utilize apprenticeships to train their workforce. The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) recently developed the Pipeline Career Pathway to address a national training gap. Alaska Safety Alliance is currently an intermediary program sponsor for the Pipeline Operations Technician occupation. Over the past two years, ASA has worked closely with NCCER to develop five pipeline OJL-RTI outlines and performance checks. With national interest and the support ASA received for this project, Alaska Safety Alliance developed the National Program Standards for five pipeline occupations. These are brand new apprenticeships with federal recognition, further supporting industry and workers in Alaska. | Workforce Development - Training & Retention | Moving the needle together: Fostering collaborative cross-industry effort to establish a recognized, universally accepted reciprocal training | Collaborative effort and industry buy in was essential. For the creation and overhaul of the NSTC training courses, the challenge was getting all North Slope Operators to agree upon which training components were necessary and should be included, and which should be handled by individual employers. Due to recent major operator turnover, newer members of the NSTC Operators Group needed to be quickly brought up to speed, consulted on ASA’s ongoing efforts, and their approval gained. This was a ongoing complex process that required all Operator members to consider industry-wide training needs, while relaying information to their internal corporate decision-makers, addressing internal concerns and inquiries, and ultimately granting approval from their individual organizations. The overall process relied on established and strong professional relationships, a “perfect storm” of significant changes in Alaskan industry, frequent and purposeful stakeholder communications, and an organization that was ambitious, forward thinking, and nimble enough to navigate many unforeseen challenges and see the project to fruition. | A Perfect Storm; Loss of a major funder, a closed revenue stream & a pandemic. Overcoming challenges, seizing opportunities & pivoting accordingly | At the end of 2019, ASA was reporting our strongest year of revenue to date. We had successfully launched a new customized training for our largest funder, BP Alaska. ASA had also recently reorganized under a new name and branding – previously APICC, now the Alaska Safety Alliance. Establishing ourselves as Alaska’s regional non-profit safety council, our successful handing of the BP Induction training had created opportunities for management of additional training, but ASA lacked the training space needed. In November 2019, we signed contracts on a five-year lease on a new office and training space and invested many thousands of dollars into the new facilities. Less than a month later, we learned BP was selling their assets in Alaska and leaving the North Slope. The BP Induction training – our largest revenue source, was coming to an end the first quarter of 2020... Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, just as we had moved into our large new training space. Our training operations were shut down by the pandemic before they even started. To overcome these many unforeseen challenges and unfortunate circumstances, we needed to pivot quickly. As a support organization for oil and gas, we work in an industry that does not stop – Operations occur 24/7 even in a global pandemic. The NSTC Unescorted course, managed by ASA, has been a twenty-year-old staple of industry in Alaska – All workers headed to the North Slope are required to take this in-person training. In attempt to continue to meet industry needs and be able to offer the NSTC in a safe and socially distant manner, ASA went to work on transforming the eight our in-person training into a completely online, self-paced, computer-based training. An obstacle that we anticipated being much more challenging to overcome, was the technical abilities of the trainees. However, COVID forced workers of all abilities to become more familiar with computers and web-based learning. This helped smoothed the path for ASA to deliver these trainings to a diverse group of trainees, much faster than we had originally anticipated. The silver lining of a global pandemic is that it forced us to quickly evolve our trainings and required end-users to adapt to the new platform. | Communicate frequently and update stakeholders regularly | There are multiple steps required in developing curriculum and hands-on components for quality apprenticeship programs, and the entire process takes time. Once the program standards are developed, more time is required for the application and approval process. Frequent communication with the employers can be challenging, especially when there seems to be little progress made between conversations. But, even when the progress is halted, program supporters need to know that the organization is managing any barriers to keep moving forward. Often, we found that when we ran into obstacles employers and other stakeholders were ready to roll up their sleeves and lend a hand. The initiative began with an industry need and employers recognize its importance to their business. Keep them engaged and they will be your partner in achieving the goal. | The Big Picture: Look to the future and build a solid foundation | With the future in mind, we combined our Learning Management System with a badging system that will allow us to issue badges that, after completion of all necessary training, will allow workers to gain site access. The badging system we chose is compatible with the infrastructure in place at job sites throughout the state. Future development of this badging aspect will save our members additional funds, as many members already individually pay for, and administratively support, their own site-access programs. Centralizing control of site access will further save time and resources as many workers are transient between various industrial sites in Alaska and retraining would not need to occur in many scenarios when this method of training is utilized. | Collaborate and capitalize on common needs | In general, the ability to take training before you enter a work site saves field time and resources and ensures employees are trained before being exposed to any work site hazards. Having all this training occur through one common source adds consistency across sites when and where possible. Because training requirements are quite similar at industrial sites around the state, all employers benefit when ASA develops and manages training programs that meet multiple employer needs. ASA continues to add new, innovative and, when possible, reciprocal, trainings to our course catalog. A wide selection of course offerings, including customized site-specific orientations, further frees up field time as many HSE staff or trainers currently perform this duty daily. | Create a matrix | Looking forward, we have identified that gathering company-specific training requirements (employer or site-specific training matrices), and gaining approval for equivalent and reciprocal, trainings between those companies, further benefits the industry overall, helping to avoid unnecessary retraining and cutting down administrative and staff training burdens significantly. | Foster industry partnerships. Build a consortium of employers with similar workforce and skills training needs. | Identify mutually beneficial ambitions and the key players and contributors. Ask questions. Listen. Document the long term plan through a white paper or other document that can be referenced and revised as needed. | Establish a rock star crew. Communicate internally and with external stakeholders. Work your ass off and make it happen. | The website provides resources for multiple audiences - from secondary students, to jobseekers, to seasoned workers, to employers. The site gives a big picture look at the organization and shows how ASA actively engages in workforce development. | Learning management and records verification - this is our login portal for both trainees and employers, to enroll, complete, and verify training, run reports and manage records. | Alaska Safety Alliance was notified this week that we are a semi-finalist for the NSC Green Cross Safety Award and are excited to be considered alongside companies like Amazon, Dow, and UPS. | This white paper explains the return on investment that the ARSC reciprocal training programs provides for employers. | Cari-Ann Carty | |||
| Training & Technology Ecosystem Helps Make Workforces Safer, More Productive, Efficient | Alliance Safety Council | 2021-08-13 | Alliance Safety Council’s training and technology ecosystem helps its members and industry partners with training records management, data integration and gate entry. Alliance’s database solution, Pyvot Track (formerly iLEVEL), is a personalized and customized records management system that allows contractors to track their training via the web and standardize records between multiple branches. Subscribers have the option to set private or public records; grant access to third parties; upload scanned records and certifications; create scheduled reports, email notifications and reports at varying intervals; evaluate training gaps when an individual switches jobs; determine worker qualifications; and much more. The database is an easy-to-use solution to verify training and compliance in real time. With a username, password and business account access, employers can query their employees’ training records 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Through Alliance's secure online records retention and management system, they may view or print student training history reports, attendance reports, expiration reports, receipts and more. If they prefer, their records can be downloaded into a spreadsheet or imported into their database nightly. Alliance's training management system provides complete and uninterrupted access to training records regardless of weather or location. In addition to Pyvot Track, there is Pyvot Connect and Pyvot Explore. Pyvot Connect was created with hiring managers in mind. With all the tasks managers are required to carry out daily, they simply don’t have the luxury of spending time sorting and organizing paper employee applications. Through this mobile responsive web application, managers can organize and access permanently stored employee applications. No more paper. No more email overload. Instead, you can sign in at your convenience, review applications and set up times to speak with applicants within minutes. Pyvot Connect offers its users the gift of time. Pyvot Explore allows individuals to easily find learning materials tailored to their needs. With Pyvot Explore, users can discover and earn the skills necessary to drive toward specific career goals. Pyvot Explore also benefits the business by filling critical skill gaps in an ever-changing work environment. With Pyvot GateCheck, Alliance's mobile-friendly training verification tool, users are able to verify workers’ training compliance, as well as background and drug screenings, all before they enter the facility or training location. Workers' badges will appear as “Compliant” or “Non-Compliant” after a quick scan of their badge, ensuring the safety and security of the workforce. Multiple people can scan badges via smart phones or tablets at any agreed-upon location, creating a virtual gate. No app installation is required to use Pyvot GateCheck. Alliance has also implemented Pyvot Verify, an identity verification technology for remote training, through a partnership with Integrity Advocate. This ensures organizations know that training is being received by those it was intended for and can also confirm the desired participation of the learner. Identity verification technology is ideal for a geographically dispersed workforce with limited access to proctored computer labs. One of Alliance's newest solutions added to its ecosystem is ReadySafe Locations, which provides instant gap analysis of workers for one or many sites. Owner companies can post and share site/job/unit requirements, contractors are able to view site/job/unit requirements, and contractors are also able to check multiple workers’ readiness. For the learner/worker, Alliance has several highly acclaimed signature programs, several of which are now available in a virtual format - reinforcing Alliance's commitment to meet members where they are. These include Certified Occupational Safety Specialist® (COSS), Certificate for Occupational Safety Managers™ (COSM), SAF Frontline Safety Training and several OSHA-authorized training courses through the Mid-South OSHA Training Institute Education Center. Mid-South is a consortium between Louisiana State University’s College of Engineering and Alliance. The center is one of only 26 OSHA-authorized centers in the U.S. and the only center located in Louisiana. Mid-South offers OSHA training to Region VI – Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and New Mexico, as well as other cities upon request. Up-to-date OSHA awareness-level orientations are also delivered online through the suite of Safety Awareness Fundamentals (SAF) courses. The SAF training library consists of an extensive list of fundamentally sound, standardized and convenient courses that are the building blocks for a safer workforce. They include topics such as HAZCOM, fire safety, lockout/tagout, PPE, scaffolding and respiratory protection, to name just a few. Ultimately, Alliance's aim is to streamline operations and increase training efficiencies through this training and technology ecosystem. | Workforce Development - Training & Retention | The Importance of Focusing on User Experience First | The Alliance team learned from developing its legacy software that a user experience (UX) team was needed that would focus on user experience and usability. The best practice related to user experience would be the process that our Director of Product Excellence and his team uses to complete customer interviews, mock-ups and reviews leading up to a minimum viable product (MVP) solution. This has made a huge difference for us in delivering quality software. | Departmental Groups and Developers Must Work Together, and Work Together Daily | It is impossibly easy for teams to become out of sync and lose sight of the end goal without consistent touchpoints across all departments with a vested interest in the project/product. | The importance of People Over Processes | Good, focused, passionate people can overcome a bad plan, but not the other way around. | Lock in Your Vision Before All Else | Create a long-term product vision up front, get buy-in and incrementally build toward that vision. Prepare to change course/direction as new information presents itself. Avoid dogmatic ideals and details that may prevent you from ultimately delivering that vision. | Keep It Simple, Always | Keep a product on focus and as simple as it can possibly be. Rather than constantly increasing scope and building complex systems that end-users ultimately don’t understand, don’t use and will struggle to maintain. This ultimately creates waste, opportunity costs and unhappy customers. Sometimes it’s what you don’t do rather than what you do. Simplicity is an art; not all opportunities are worth chasing. | The highest priority should be to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable solutions. Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer's competitive advantage. | Build your project/solution around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done. Continuous attention to excellence enhances agility. | At regular intervals, the team should reflect on how to become more effective, then fine-tune and adjust behavior accordingly. The best solutions emerge from self-organizing teams. | Meagan Kohls | |||||||||
| Nailed It! : A Handywomen Training Series | Workforce Solutions Borderplex | 2021-09-22 | What worked for past generations is no longer working. We’ve teamed up with local educational institutions to rethink how a new generation of construction workers could obtain the skills they would need to enter the industry and flourish. Amid an industry-wide workforce crisis, women are an untapped market with a wealth of potential to bolster the sector, ensuring its long-term health. Nailed It! is a multi-collaborative pilot program in El Paso, Texas. Participants enroll in a certified skills training program in partnership with our host campuses, Western Technical and Vista College. To attract a wider net of applicants, locations are conveniently located across El Paso. Thus far, we’ve had two graduating groups with a third institution joining Nailed It! as a host campus for our next cohort. Each college offers a unique version of the program based on the school’s strengths and instructor approach. Students tour construction through a series of micro-workshops throughout the course, each focused on a specialized field within the industry. From construction basis and HVAC to plumbing, electrical, and more, the goal is to introduce students to a variety of professional possibilities, identify the areas they excel in and allow them to gain confidence in a casual environment dedicated to their success. Standard equipment and facilities don’t account for women. Nailed It’s breaks down barriers to entry, helping women find their stride into the profession rather than being deterred. Working in conjunction with our extraordinary team of instructors, we’ve established a casual and collaborative classroom environment where everything from the custom L-shaped workbenches encircling the room to the time of day the workshop takes place is fine-tuned to the students. Upon completion, participants receive a certification, verifying their accomplishment and skill-set from a recognized institution, along with gift cards to home improvement stores to begin accumulating the tools of the trade. This portion of the program functions to instill confidence, empowering women to believe in themselves. It’s this belief and the spark it generates that interests them in taking the next step with us. At this point in the pilot program, graduates decide what’s next. We have career navigators on stand-by ready to connect students to viable positions based on their specialization. They also have the option of continuing their education through one of our affiliate partnerships or apprenticeship programs. | Workforce Development - Skilled Craft Labor | It’s About What You Do With What You Know : Limiting The Pool Of Candidates, Stifles Success | Conceptualized for women in domestic violence shelters, Nailed It! sought to alleviate the construction workforce shortage, simultaneously giving women an outlet to learn valuable skills with the potential to afford them financial independence and much-needed confidence. In theory, our approach promised success. Despite our good intentions, the application lacked. There was much more involved in crafting a program concentrated solely on this hyper-specific group than we had anticipated. The construction industry’s predicament proves that limiting your pool of candidates is detrimental to the profession and those it serves. Rather than allow our initial misdirection regarding the target audience to dissuade us, we decided to examine the facts and design the program based on what we knew to be true. -The construction industry is predominantly male. -It’s an industry on the verge of a workforce crisis. -Despite societal norms, acquiring tangible, physically challenging skills with market value appeals to women. -The skills employed in the industry induce confidence and feelings of self-empowerment. -Women are an untapped asset and an ideal solution to the workforce shortage. Like the construction industry, our initial approach limited what we were capable of achieving. As a result, we expanded our perspective, opening the program to all women. This significant step allowed us to grow the program, formulating the three phases of Nailed It!, which have become its pillars. | Personalize or Perish : Developing & Retaining Talent Relies on One’s Ability to Adapt & Personalize the Experience | The first pilot program took place at Western Technical College. Every participant who began the course saw it through to the end, earning a certification to highlight her achievement. However, the initial group was smaller than our objective. We decided to go directly to the source, the participants themselves, to find out how we could improve for the next group. After speaking with them, the mistake became apparent. Nailed It! was designed for every woman, but it wasn’t every woman who showed up each week. Despite initial discomfort around power tools and electrical circuitry, limited transportation, and children, the most responsive to Nailed It! were immigrants and females living in low-income areas. These were the women who would benefit most from gaining a skilled trade. So, why weren’t more signing up for a free, certified course that would impact their quality of life? For every woman forced out of her comfort zone, there were numerous more who couldn’t overcome the hurdles. Asking women with barriers to find time at the beginning of the day, multiple times a week, to attend classes at a location across town was an impossible ask. Lesson one, personalization is everything. Nailed It! evolved, increasing our locations from one to three across Borderplex, ensuring that each facility offered a unique course catalog at times corresponding to bus schedules and school hours. We more than doubled the participants from cohort one to cohort two by supporting the women who supported the program. Lesson two, be willing to adapt to whatever comes your way. | Construction Needs A Remodel : Reconstructing An Industry For The Modern Worker, By The Modern Worker | To learn the first two lessons, we had to unearth the fundamental truths disrupting the construction industry. Our findings, this third lesson, are the basis from which Nailed It! was built. Conventional vocations, blue-collar trades in particular, are suffering. The deceleration of sectors once believed invincible is a consequence of the societal shift from manual to mental work. This shift has bred a new generation of workers with different aspirations and expectations than their predecessors. The days of walking 10 miles in the snow to go to work are long gone. What these fields have in common is their outdated approach to the workforce. In a world of professional atmospheres like Facebook campuses with green smoothies, who market a comfortable, diverse environment with high pay, labor-intensive employment with a reputation for tin lunchbox-style meals doesn’t seem appetizing. To recruit the modern worker, construction as an industry needs a people-centric rebrand rather than industry-centric. Understanding this, we disregarded the standard ‘sells’ when attracting recruits. Construction has immediate relevance to every human’s life. And that’s where we started. Making Nailed It! appealing meant making it relatable. Rather than speak about professions and industry, we highlight the viable life skills necessary to function in the world around you without calling a handyman. We encourage people to pursue the areas they excel at in comfortable environments where they want to learn more of their own volition. We change the perceptions that have disillusioned a generation by showing them another side where craftspeople work together on a trade that builds civilizations. | Community Collaborations Were Pivotal Piece To The Program’s Progress | The strides made for all involved and the effect on local industry resonate throughout Borderplex. Nailed It’s success is attributed to numerous factors, but none as prevalent as community collaboration. From concept to completion, every stage of the program is made possible by our tireless partnerships with local organizations, businesses, and leadership. The initiative burgeoned under Workforce Solutions Borderplex’s newest committee W.E. At Work: Women’s Equality is a work in progress. With the weight of their support, Nailed It! was able to gain rapid traction and funding through a grant from the Bank Of America, allowing the program to commence in earnest. The subsequent cornerstone collaborations were the partnerships made with the local educational institutions who agreed to host Nailed It! and customize workshops in a way that supported the participants. The college’s involvement took the program from concept to tangible construct. Even including these decisive allies, a concept and course without the right audience is simply a good idea awaiting an opportunity. This is where Borderplex’s businesses stepped up for women, construction, and the community. Local organizations, people, and non-profits were pivotal to the recruiting process. From spreading the word to promoting the program using their vast networks, participants came to us through various sources. | A community's economic welfare depends on its infrastructure and ability to grow and adapt. All of which are facets made possible by the construction industry. Transferring our model requires organizations to capitalize on this inherent need with those who have a vested stake in the economic welfare of the region. Initiating relationships with locally recognized colleges, universities, trade schools, construction companies, businesses, and community partners nurtures a mutually beneficial environment, establishing the robust foundation necessary for a self-sustaining program people trust. From increased organic promotion and access to private networks to funding, construction skills build communities and with local partnerships, it will build your program as well. | Between the growing skilled workforce shortage and a pandemic that didn’t help, the construction industry is in crisis. Consider what comes to mind when you think of a construction worker. The typical image involves a safety vest, boots, and a yellow hard hat worn by a man. The key to replicating our program’s success lies with the more than 50% of the population who have remained an untapped labor resource, women. Programs focused on preparing women for a career in construction will guarantee the long-term health of a faltering industry. | Duplicating our approach rests in the program’s primary objective. Nailed It! doesn’t simply attract women to the construction industry. It recruits, trains, and supports them down a potential career path. Success relies on understanding the negative stereotypes associated with the profession, more importantly, the profession in regards to women. Knowing the mental impediments they’ll face, gives organizers the edge they’ll need to mitigate potential challenges by establishing programs that empower women with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to step into a new industry and own it. When designing curricula and considering how to inspire this group towards a possible career change, a personalized approach that examines the trade from a female perspective goes a long way towards breaking down barriers. | Workforce Wednesday goes behind the scenes of Nailed It! speaking with participants and College instructors for a sneak peek into the program and what women are getting out of it. | Webpage and accompanying press release announcing Bank Of America grant the program received to take the initiative from detailed outline to reality. | Marisela Correa | |||||||||
| Innovative and Custom-built Company-wide Training Program to Enhance an Individual's Construction Skills | Harder Mechanical Contractors Inc | 2021-09-24 | Prior to COVID, training was delivered in-person with the belief that in-person training was essential for attendee participation and comprehension. COVID drove most of our employees to work remotely and we had to find a new way to train and develop our employees. Considering how the tools with which people process information are becoming more technologically enhanced, we decided on using QuickBase, a low-code application development platform, to build our own custom cloud-based training program. The program would administer and track all technical training. Training content would be developed and administered by experts within the company covering project management, project accounting, asset management, Lean construction, human resources, quality control, and more. Trainings would be delivered live and recorded twice weekly during regularly scheduled online sessions hosted on Zoom. Recordings of live sessions and the corresponding documentation would be made available on-demand online to all employees for future reference and/or for administering their own training. Employees would be placed in groups based on their title, and each group would have a prescribed set of training that the group was expected to receive. Employees and managers would be able to track the progress that their team members were making. Training content developers would be able to receive direct feedback on how their trainings were being received based on quiz scores and reviews completed by training attendees. The program has transformed the way Harder develops employees from interns, to new hires, to employee transfers, and even to seasoned veterans. Prior to the new program, we averaged a couple hundred employee technical trainings per year. With the new program we have completed over 9,500 in just 16 months. In the past, we had logistical complications and expenses with getting people across states to attend in-person training events. Now we reach anyone at any time with minimal impact to their work responsibilities and personal lives. In the past, training invitees left the training with documents or files that started becoming obsolete the moment they left the event. Now training content is always current and accessible to anyone that needs it. In the past, we had to cite multiple rosters and use numerous spreadsheets to track who got training and deduce who still needed training. Now we have a single dashboard showing who has and has not completed what. In the past, employees had to hope to be invited to a training event where they would be exposed to a massive batch of information all at once. Now they attend right-sized live sessions and/or use on-demand features at their own discretion. The program currently has than 40 formalized technical trainings. Additionally, these 40 trainings are supplemented by hundreds of micro trainings that address specific “how to’s” that don’t warrant a lengthy formal training. Feedback from our employees has been very positive with an average rating of 4.6 stars (out of 5) across over 7,300 reviews. | Workforce Development - Training & Retention | Online Training Events are Valuable | Prior to the COVID outbreak, all employee training was delivered in person. The paradigm was that in-person training was essential to deliver to a coherent message and to get the desired participation from attendees. The world, including the construction industry, is changing at an ever-accelerating rate. The tools at our disposal and the ways in which people interact with their environment and process information is becoming more and more technologically enhanced. When COVID drove most of our employees to work remotely, we were forced to challenge our existing paradigm and find a way to train and develop our employees without being in-person. We took matters into our own hands and using QuickBase, a low-code application development platform, we built our own custom cloud-based training program. The result was we delivered more and better content to more people involving much less complex logistics and overhead costs. | Employees Value Training | There is a common perception that “nobody enjoys sitting through training”. This may be true; however, we have found that at the same time it is true that people value training. It can be very uncomfortable and frustrating to be expected to perform when you are unclear on how to proceed. The feedback that we received from people attending these trainings was generally that of appreciation and enthusiasm. We even saw people attending training events that did not pertain directly to their day-to-day responsibilities out of a simple curiosity and/or desire to be exposed to another aspect of the company they work for. Feedback from our employees on the quality and value of the training has been very positive with an average rating of 4.6/5 stars across over 7,300 reviews. | A Single Platform for Training | Prior to the new Training Program, training was being managed in various ways, by different parties, and in multiple locations. This approach did not lend itself to standardization or control of training materials. It was also inherently inefficient for the trainee to obtain desired training, as well as for the managers to assess who yet needed what training. Our new program allows us to administer and manage training of all types (e.g. application, accounting, project management, Lean, safety, etc.) from one application. From this application, the trainee can obtain the training that they need when they need it regardless of their location, and the content is current by default. Managers can ascertain from a single dashboard and automatic notification system who on their team needs what training. The program is built with a feedback system that allows the Development Team to continuously make improvements to both the training content, as well as how the program functions. Any improvements made to the program are immediately available to all employees across all training types. | Training Delivered by Internal Experts | We have all likely experienced situations where training is delivered by those whose job it is to train, or by some representative from Human Resources. We have seen with our program that there is real value in having training be delivered by our “local expert”. This seems to make people feel more valued, as well as help breed community, empathy, and understanding for why we do things the way we do. Prior to deploying our new program, it was often not feasible to have our local experts deliver the trainings due to time constraints and logistical challenges. | Limit the Depth and Length of Trainings | Before the new program, training was typically administered in large batches due to the logistics associated with the availability of the trainer(s). With the training being administered online under the new program, most of the complications around logistics were eliminated. Consequently, we were able to discover that people often did better when training was administered in smaller batches. It was easier to get people to attend and to hold their attention when trainings were kept to less than one hour. To validate trainee participation and measure comprehension, we ended each training with an electronic quiz administered via email. Each quiz had a short set of multiple-choice questions geared at providing data to track trainee participation, as well as ensure that the key takeaways of the training were comprehended by each trainee. | Record Everything and Make it Accessible | Cloud meeting platforms like Zoom make it easy to keep attendance, and to capture the audio and video of the sessions. Video platforms like Wistia make it easy to store, manage, and access video content via the cloud. We made a practice of recording every online training session. If the most recent training session was delivered better, and/or had more current content it would replace any previously recorded sessions. These recordings stored in our new program are the basis of our On Demand feature for employees that were not able to attend the live session, or for future hirers or new team members that may have a new need for the training, or for people to simply revisit for reference. | Collaborate. Pull your content experts and key stakeholders together and outline a program and/or strategy that represents everyone’s ideas and needs. That outline should include the definition the members of the development and deployment team, as well as ongoing touch-points to keep stakeholders and decision involved as the plan evolves as it progresses. | Commit and invest. Once you have an outline of the desired program, present it to the executives to get their buy-in. It is important that that buy-in includes the understanding that people will need to be assigned/committed to the endeavor meaning they will need to shift responsibilities such that they can dedicate time to the program. | Just start. Don’t fall into the paralysis by analysis trap. If you have a common goal and have committed the right people to the task, you don’t need it all in place before you can deploy and start getting value. If we had tried to sell the concept of what we now have at the onset, people would have likely been intimidated and shied away from even trying. Make mistakes, learn, improve, repeat. | Michael Strachan | |||||||
| BCPC Career Signing Day Program | Brazoria County Petrochemical Council (BCPC) | 2022-07-20 | BCPC Career Signing Day Program Overview The BCPC Career Signing Day is a program developed to increase interest and growth within Career & Technical Education (CTE) and provide construction and petrochemical organizations with young talent to grow into highly productive and sustainable employees. With CTE programs and student certifications on the rise in the state of Texas and in Brazoria County, the committee developed a plan to recognize students and organizations that were willing to hire, train and educate CTE students each year. Taking the format used by colleges offering athletes full scholarships and “signing” them during events, the committee has developed a format that “mirrors” what colleges do for athletes receiving full scholarships. This format gives organizations recognition for hiring a student directly from high school and investing in their future. The student is recognized for their education, training and overall CTE accomplishments. Program Statistics Below are the statistics from 2018 - 2022 *** Indicates COVID restriction years. Number of Schools Participating 2018 - 2019 - 2 2019 - 2020 - 2*** 2020 - 2021 - 6*** 2021 - 2022 - 10 Number of Hiring Organizations Participating 2018 - 2019 - 2 2019 - 2020 - 2*** 2020 - 2021 - 7*** 2021 - 2022 - 26 Number of Interviews Conducted (Students receive multiple interviews) 2018 - 2019 - 11 2019 - 2020 - 24*** 2020 - 2021 - 76*** 2021 - 2022 - 280 Number of Students Hired 2018 - 2019 - 11 2019 - 2020 - 4*** 2020 - 2021 - 19*** 2021 - 2022 - 48 Number of Female Students Hired 2018 - 2019 - 0 2019 - 2020 - 0*** 2020 - 2021 - 1*** 2021 - 2022 - 5 Total Number of Students Hired and Jobs Created 82 Workforce Training and Career & Technical Education (CTE) Investments Within Brazoria County many different workforce training and CTE investments have been made by local petrochemical leading organizations to enhance the learning experience and future workforce. Below is a list of investments and the most recent CTE centers that have been built or are currently under construction. CTE Investments New CTE Center at Sweeny High School (SISD) Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP $1.7M Investment New CTE Center at Brazoswood and Brazosport High Schools (BISD) Dow $2.5M Investment Freeport LNG $1M Investment BASF $1M Investment Angleton ISD CTE Center ($50M Budget) Currently under construction Brazosport College Workforce Training and Education Investments BCPC Brazosport College Welding Lab - $1M Investment BASF - $1M Investment Dow - $1M Investment Freeport LNG - $1M Investment ME Global - $1M Investment | Workforce Development - Skilled Craft Labor | Organization Recruitment | The committee has learned through the last four years to recruit as many organizations as possible and to have a wide variety of organizations that perform different functions of work. After starting the program in 2018, our committee quickly realized that to continue the Signing Day Program we would need many different organizations to participate in interviews and hiring. After having only two organizations participating in the first two years, we have been able to expand to twenty six organizations and counting. During the organization recruitment process, our committee also meets with the organizations to discuss what their job and craft needs are. This allows us to deliver the right students to be interviewed for the right positions. The first two years organizations were mainly mechanical construction based organizations. Now, we have expanded organizations that offer electrical, instrumentation, maintenance, scaffolding, insulations, heat tracing, etc. With the number of organizations recruited since 2018, we have learned that the more organizations participating, the more interviews and job opportunities can be offered to CTE students. In 2022 alone, we were able to deliver 26 organizations that participated in the process, resulting in each student receiving a minimum of four interviews and forty eight students directly hired for positions. | Interviews and Craft Pairings | Committee has learned that specific crafts are needed for specific organizations. Multiple interviews are imperative to pair student interest with the needs of the organization. After providing interviews for each student in our first year of operation for CTE students, we have learned that with more organizations and more students available, our committee can schedule and pair students with several different organizations. With over twenty five organizations and more schools involved in the application process our committee can now strategically pair organizations and students together that fit the needs of the organizations and the interest of the students. Student interviews take place in an event style format and coordinated through the BCPC Career Signing Day Committee. Students submit an online application and detail their interest, desired work location, experience and certifications. Meetings with the organization take place to determine what crafts the organization is looking for and the number of estimated students they would like to hire. When pairing students our committee works diligently to prepare the interview schedule in a timely manner and works to coordinate at least three to four interviews per student in a four to five hour span. The interviews and craft pairings are essential to hiring the right employee and keeping the organizations engaged. In 2022 alone we had 69% of students that applied for the program hired. | Building in extra week(s) to assist with additional interviews and pairing of students and organizations | Once commitments are made, there is potential for other roles with organizations following the initial offers and commitments. With several job offers being offered to several students due to having multiple interviews and having qualified applicants, our committee has learned that an extra would benefit the organizations and the committee. This would result in more students being hired. In the past students would receive job offers from potentially multiple employers and would have to decide where they would prefer to work. The organizations that were declined by the student would have a back choice for hire. In some cases this would require an extra interview or meeting. This also requires our committee to meet with organizations and students for additional pairing opportunities. An extra week also allows organizations to make extra offers if needed. In past experience, students will receive job offers after the Signing Day Event and begin work for the organization. An extra week would allow for organizations to make more job offers and help students with determining what organization is best suited for them. | Online Application Process and Screening | Having students screened by school staff and committee before applying helps with determining which students should be interviewed for positions. Each student that applies for the BCPC Career Signing Day Program submits an online application with the assistance of their school counselor, coordinator or teacher. This allows the student to complete and upload the correct information and complete the correct fields. Students are asked their craft interests, preferred work location, experience and certifications. This allows the Signing Day Committee to pair the students with organizations that fit their interests and profile. Organizations can also view the application which will help them determine interview questions and assist with hiring. | Marketing of Program | Marketing of the BCPC Career Signing Day Program is essential to growing the program. Since the beginning of the program committee members have participated in marketing activities and through several different types of opportunities. CTE Center tours have served as a great opportunity to market CTE programs and students. Committee members associated with school staff participate in tours of these centers which help encourage organizations to participate in the program. Webinars and presentations have served as a good platform to market the program. Starting in 2018 - 2019, committee members have participated in several different types of webinar and presentation opportunities. The program has been presented to the Texas Workforce Commision, NCCER, CTAT Conferences (Career & Technical Association of Texas) and the ACTE(Association for Career & Technical Education) Conferences in New Orleans, LA and Anaheim, CA. Social Media is a great marketing tool as well for the program. Throughout the year committee members and the BCPC organization will share information and updates regarding the program. Success stories and recognitions are shared to increase interest in the program. The program has been able to reach people at a grander scale due to the committee's social media presence. | Signing Day Event | The BCPC Signing Day Event is the conclusion of the program each year. Once interviews and job offers are complete, students have the opportunity to accept the job offers from organizations. When an agreement between the organization and student is complete, the student is then registered to participate in the BCPC Career Signing Day Event. The event includes different media outlets, guest speakers, photos and video opportunities for students, schools, organizations, and families. Every student is recognized with a “starter kit” which includes tools with a tool bag that helps the student begin work. Each student also will take photos with each organization recognizing the students that are “signing” and the organization in a format similar to an athlete “signing” with a college to play a sport. In 2022 our committee hosted 400 - 450 guests at Associated Builders & Contractors at ABC Texas Gulf Coast in Freeport, TX and was presented a proclamation from the State of Texas. By having this event at the end of each school year, our committee has been able to showcase the popularity and importance of the program. The event has helped the program gain interest from schools, organizations and community members. | In order to start a Career Signing Day Program construction and petrochemical organization support must be in order. Organizations are essential to the program because the organizations hire and train the students. Organizations are recruited through various networking styles and formats. Career days and exhibitions where construction and petrochemical personnel gather helps with communication about the program. Marketing on social media recruiting organizations helps with attracting attention of organizations. Campaigns have been developed to share photos and videos of the program to attract new organizations to hire students. | Strong CTE Programs must be present within our schools to educate and attract interest of students wanting to join the construction and petrochemical industry. The program gives students a pathway for opportunities after high school. This should be communicated to the student and staff constantly. Committee members can serve as mentors and present at various high school to help students and teachers understand the importance of learning industrial based education and how the students can get high paying jobs after graduation through a Signing Day Program. | A blend of construction, petrochemical, education and training personnel need to be involved in the Career Signing Day Committee. This committee gives valuable insight on how to expand the program. Committee should meet throughout the year at minimum once a month. This helps keep the interest of the program at the forefront. Committee members should be assigned certain areas of the program. Members all have different talent levels, and finding what they are good at is essential. Areas may include: developing presentations, dual credit programs, field trips, interview planning and pairing, event planning, etc. | Overview video highlighting and describing the BCPC Career Signing Day Event. | Video highlighting CTE offerings and center at Brazosport ISD. Video showcases how CTE and the construction and petrochemical industry can collaborate. | Article showcases two individual student stories from the program and an overview of the record breaking program and event. | The BCPC Career Signing Day Interviews are essential to building our future workforce and growing CTE. This article reflects the 280 interviews that were conducted over the course of 4 hours at ABC Texas Gulf Coast in Freeport, TX. Each student received four interviews. | This article covers the record breaking BCPC Career Signing Day Event from 2022. The event showcased 48 students hired into skills and trades jobs. At the event the Signing Day Committee was presented with a State of Texas Proclamation. | Aaron Ennis | ||
| Building People and Their Careers with Interstates' Talent Card | Interstates | 2022-07-21 | At Interstates, we are committed to investing in our people and listening to their opinions and ideas. When Wayne McDaniel, a traveling electrician that was with Interstates for 47 years, shed light on the hassle of explaining their expertise and experience to a superintendent every time they started a new project, Interstates decided to develop a tool that saves time and improves effectiveness. McDaniel explained how every time they went to a new job site, it felt as if they were starting over and required them to keep having the same job site conversation every time with their new supervisor: what their skillsets and certifications were. This process became tedious and felt like a waste of both time and money, and there were even times when people did not fully trust a person’s words and did not believe all of their certifications and skills. As a result, The Talent Card was created as a collaboration between our IT and OD (Organizational Development) departments with the initial goal of being a resumé, in a sense, and bringing superintendents up to speed quickly. However, it has developed into so much more over time. The Talent Card received its name based off of how similar it was to a baseball card that shows a player’s statistics. What these baseball cards also do is highlight what a player is good at and any areas that they could potentially improve through training and practice. Interstates recognizes the difficulties that come with the war on talent – where companies are struggling and competing to recruit and retain talented employees – and believes that the Talent Card aids in both of these aspects as well as honing team members’ weaknesses into strengths. The Talent Card contains information about each employees’ skills, what job site they are coming from, and certificates and licenses they possess. Before the employee even sets foot on the job site, the superintendent will be able to have an idea of their capabilities, which will help them jumpstart the next project. The employee can also see information about their superintendent or their other team members. This information is customizable and can potentially include hobbies as well as their DISC personality assessment. Our usage of the DISC assessment can set a good foundation and friendly atmosphere by including a person’s communication dos, don’ts, and preferred way of recognition. All of this is customizable, so an employee can change information if they do not agree with the default information given. Not only does the Talent Card focus on a person’s past experiences and present abilities, but it also provides a place for employees to share information with their superiors about their goals, desires, and what they want their career journey to look like. This information in particular is only viewable by the employee and their career coach. We want all our employees to help each other with development, so we added a feedback page where any employee can give feedback to another or request feedback from someone else. Interstates has also added a feature that helps track safety and makes sure team members are striving towards a zero-injury culture. | Workforce Development - Training & Retention | Introduce employees to all the tools the program includes, and do not be frustrated if they do not use them all | It is important for every new hire to learn how to use the Talent Card, and we try to walk them through all of the program’s features or point them toward the program’s user guide while onboarding. We also inform every employee about the recommended number of times one should update their information for each feature; however, that does not mean that they will always do it. When huge updates and new features are added to the program, Interstates sometimes has a Lunch n’ Learn because we cannot expect our members to utilize a tool they do not understand. We also know that not everyone will use the same features or have the same engagement with the program. Sometimes, it can become frustrating when our development team adds a new feature that they believe will bring a lot of value to the workplace, but the user engagement ends up being low. In these cases, we must remember to trust our employees to choose which practices are most beneficial to their career. Not every Interstates employee will update the same amount or use the same features because only they truly know which ones work for them based on their workload capacity and relationship with their supervisor. However, our team is confident to say that the Talent Card includes many unique features and a diverse array of development tools that there is something that will work for everyone. | Learn to accept and respect a program or project that is forever developing | Interstates doesn´t believe that the Talent Card will ever be completely finished as is similar with any technology application—continued updates will be needed. However, the Talent Card will be forever changing and developing along with our people and company. A feature in the Talent Card that shows this concept off well is the development guide page. Every role at Interstates has its own development guide and informs an employee on which skills they should develop to move further in their career. It can also be helpful if someone wants to see what skills they want to have for an entirely different role that they´re interested in applying for. We´re constantly creating and updating these development guides for new and existing roles or positions at Interstates. Ever since we´ve accepted that the Talent Card is forever developing, we are also able to respect all the progress we have already made with this program. We are able to celebrate the small things and increase work culture morale instead of only focusing on what´s next, which would inevitably lead to burnout. | Listen to employees to get an insight into how the workplace culture is being affected | Feedback is essential to developing any program, and we are grateful that our leaders and supervisors gave us honest feedback from the very beginning. Interstates strived to make a tool that would help team members but also be employee-driven. This is evident based on our career journey page and how we let employees map out their own career. Their coaches or delivery leaders will support the employee and offer guidance, but ultimately, the employee’s future is up to them. We want them to be in control of their future and feel like they have a voice. This process also builds a sense of accountability and responsibility because it will not be successful without cooperation and ownership on both ends. We are also grateful for feedback because it lets us gain insight into how the workplace culture is being affected. The Talent Card is always striving to figure out the fine line of what will drive our culture and what will deter from it. When it comes to features such as tracking safety and work performance, our goal is to aid with employee development but also respect a team member’s confidentiality. For each feature and page, we determine when it is valuable for other people in the organization to see an employee’s information, and when it is only valuable for leaders to have access. | Combatting the assumption that all feedback is bad feedback | Feedback is key to an employee’s success, but before the Talent Card, the workplace assumed that getting back feedback resulted in negative feedback. We also wanted to increase the frequency of feedback. The Talent Card includes a dedicated feedback page where anyone can give feedback to another employee, but only the sender and receiver can view it. The person writing the feedback can choose what kind of feedback they want to give from our three options: plus feedback, delta feedback, or positive impact feedback. Plus feedback correlates to positive statements and praise, delta feedback is used when someone mentions things that a team member could have done differently, and the positive impact feedback is a way to let employees know how they could make a positive impact in the workplace. We make an effort to never let an employee go longer than six months without some type of written feedback. Having this feature in place has created a culture shift within the workplace and makes people comfortable enough to give true, constructive feedback with their name tied to it. An aspect that many team members appreciate about the feedback page is how an employee can request feedback from someone else in the company. | Addressing problems and concerns right away in order to make plans for improvement | Research shows that the annual performance review creates more anxiety in employees than feelings of appreciation or satisfaction, and in fact, may lower performance. As a result of our research, we decided to add a talent review page to the Talent Card but tweak some aspects to benefit our workplace environment. With this feature, leaders and supervisors can tell their employees right away if there was something that could have been done better. This way, we can eliminate the creation of bad work habits and miscommunications. For example, if an employee was not able to get a raise because they did not do well in a certain area, but the first time they are hearing this is during a merit raise discussion, then that is also a failure on the leader’s part. Leaders are required to write a talent review at least once a year but can update it more frequently if desired - there is no limit. This talent review includes asking for input from other leaders and supervisors about an employee’s work performance and then determining if the employee is a high performer, meeting expectations, or not meeting expectations. The input from others is accessible to the employee at hand, which gives them another opportunity to get more feedback. The rating given to the employee then shows up on the feedback page. | Providing support through career coaches but independency through decisions | The career journey feature of the Talent Card would not be as successful as it is in the present time if not for Interstates’ usage of career coaches. While every employee has a job title, some of them have an additional role outside of their daily job. One of these roles is becoming a career coach for another employee. The career coach’s purpose is to be a mentor that an employee meets with quarterly (at a minimum) to talk about their goals, development, and career aspirations. They also provide feedback, advice, and ideas on one’s career path and can help with managing workload. An employee’s career coach is usually someone they do not always work with. This allows the employee to feel more comfortable talking about their work life and future work decisions. On the career journey page, employees can list their potential career journey interests, and this allows their career coach to see if they are interested in checking out other positions or roles. Then, they can talk about progressing to the next level of leadership or if they just want to hone their skills in their current position. If an employee is curious about a position that is entirely different than their current one, then they can set up a job shadowing. While career coaches have been a major positive impact to Interstates’ workplace, the ultimate decisions are made by the employee, which can give them a sense of trust and responsibility. | Do your research both in and out of the organization. Look at similar examples or programs outside of the organization in order to determine what you want and what you do not want. Also, talk to people who are not just leaders and are not just in the office. People in the field and those who may not be as invested in the program may give direct, honest feedback and bring a new perspective. | Do not burn out your IT development team. Interstates applauds our programmers and how much love, labor, and hours were poured into the Talent Card. However, other companies should not be hesitant to buy and utilize someone else’s program if they do not have the resources. Also, it could be helpful to try out an already made program in order to figure out what the company needs and what they want before starting on developing your own. | Be as open as possible with the company and the team members about how everything is developing. This will build faith, confidence, and trust within the company. Some employees may become invested in how the program is developing, while others may even bring a fresh perspective. It is also beneficial to celebrate goals together, recognize hardships, and take time to appreciate the progress that has been made. | This is the research that was referred to in Best Practices #2. | Benj Van Donge | ||||||
| Worley RightSkilling Program | Worley | 2022-07-21 | RightSkilling: Aligning the project craft crew mix to the work being performed as well as implementing a comprehensive suite of Workforce Development Programs and Initiatives to create and maintain a sustainable pipeline of craft professionals at all levels. Worley recognized two critical factors that are creating significant sustainability issues for our craft workforce: an aging craft workforce, and a misalignment of the Journey-Level/Helper ratios. The CURT Construction Labor Market Analyzer estimates that 27% of the craft will retire by 2026 and 40% by 2031. The NCCER Research Department Study “Construction Workforce Age Progression” points out that the average age of a construction craft professional is 42.9, which is more than six years older than the average age in 1994 (36.8 years). They are also predicting that by 2030 the average age will be greater than 46 years old. The CURT CIR Crew Mix Demographics show that there aren’t enough Helper positions to overcome the shortfall. Most current industrial ratios are four Journey-Level-Level craft professionals for every Helper, or worse. Additionally, it takes years develop people to a Journey-Level as shown in the NCCER Research Department Study “How Long Does It Take To Become Journey-Level” . These factors led to the development and implementation of the RightSkilling Program. Worley collaborated with a client to assess the project scope and determine the proper crew mix, with the understanding that the ratios would likely vary by site and by craft. Once the evaluation was complete, the data led to the fact that while the scope on these specific sites required approximately half Journey-Level and half Helper Level, the current ratios were closer to 80% Journey-Level and 20% Helper. As a result, in many instances the client was paying Journey-Level wages for Helper work. Once Worley and the client agreed on the research-based ratio decisions, we worked collectively on the timeline needed to effectively make the transition. We determined that the transition would take 18-24 months and much of the change would happen through retirement and attrition. We also announced the findings and the transition timeline to the entire project workforce. At the same time, Worley engaged with all programs within the Four Pillars Program (CURT Workforce Development Award Winner 2020), to include site-specific Strategic Outreach Plans and our Helper, Journey-Level and Leadership Progression Programs utilizing industry recognized curriculum, assessments, credentials, and certifications. The result was the dramatic improvement in our ability to identify and source from local talent pools, and a noticeable increase in training and assessment at all levels. The Journey-Level/Helper ratios have changed over the past several decades. Worley has had both formal and informal discussions with dozens of leading workforce development professionals, seasoned industry experts and craft professionals with 30+ years of experience and they all agree that the ratios have slowly changed from a nearly 1/1 ratio in the 1970’s to our current 4/1 ratio today. There are a variety of factors that have led to the transition, but the most significant factor is that during every industry downturn we hold on to the most experienced, highly skilled, and seasoned workforce. These factors have placed the industry in an untenable position. RightSkilling provides the critical analysis to correct the ratios and provides Strategic Outreach and training programs at all levels. This sustainable workforce model ensures that our Journey-Level workforce is performing work, our Helpers are doing Helper tasks and collectively we can develop our current and next generation workforce. Attachment(s): 01_CURT_CLMA_US-2020-Foresight Report_Retirement-Data 02_NCCER_Research_Construction Workforce Age Progression_2022 03_CURT_CIR_Helper to Journey-Level Crew Mix_Industrial Construction Sector_2022 04_NCCER_Research_Journey-Level-Training_Fact-Sheet_2022 05_CURT 2020_WFD-Award_Press-Release | Workforce Development - Skilled Craft Labor | Collaboration between the contractor and the client is paramount to the successful implementation of the RightSkilling Program. | Worley has been concerned with crew mix for years. We were confident that assessing the project scope and determining the proper crew mix, then gradually transitioning to the corrected Journey-Level/Helper ratios would be successful, but Worley could not make this change alone. It took a collaborative commitment with the client at the outset to corroborate the ratios and ultimately validate the effectiveness of the RightSkilling Program. This level of collaboration was one of the discussion points in the CURT-CII 2022 Owner Study: Six Critical Global Construction Industry Challenges and Insights on Solutions , emphasized in Theme 4-Power. There is much discussion about the lack of trust between contractors and owners but what some are clearly beginning to understand is that neither the contractor nor the client can be successful without the other. RightSkilling was developed to solve an industry problem, not a contractor problem. The two quotes that sum it up best for Worley are below. "What helps us? Really good, longer-term strategic relationships with vendors that improve everyone and provide greater transparency. It's not standard practice, but it's getting better.” (O) “We need to stop thinking transactionally and start thinking strategically about what win-win looks like." (O) Worley is committed to the win-win, and programs like RightSkilling are what is going to get us there, together.” Attachment(s): 12_CURT-CII Owner Study 2022 Part 1 FINAL | Be an Open Book to Site Personnel | Once the Process Analytics is completed and both contractor and client agree to the new ratios, it is imperative to announce the transition to the entire project. It is vital that the contractor and the client stand together and be open, honest, and forthright. Lack of information often leads to misinformation. This transition will cause unease within the craft workforce, it is important to discuss the changes openly. It is also important to share the “why” at the outset of the transition. Worley shared the changing ratios in the context of long-term viability and that our current ratios are unsustainable. Discuss the timeline and be prepared for on-going one-on-one discussions. RightSkilling creates opportunities for career development and advancement. RightSkilling also requires a comprehensive workforce development solution which creates a multitude of opportunities for instructors and evaluators. The bottom line is that non-communication or ineffective communication will create unwanted challenges and likely generate misinformation. Stay ahead of the rumor mill and be prepared to speak openly about the challenges and the opportunities that RightSkilling will bring to the project. Attachment(s): 13_Worley_WFD_Overview_2021-09-02_v00_RightSkilling_Process Analytics 14_Worley_WFD_Overview_2021-09-02_v00_RightSkilling_Execution | The RightSkilling transition takes time. | The RightSkilling transition takes time. Both the client and the contractor need to recognize that achieving the best result in making the substantive craft personnel changes dictated through the RightSkilling analysis is a time-consuming process. Doing the analysis to correct the ratios is imperative to the process, but it’s just the beginning of the RightSkilling transition. Develop a timeline that is achievable. Our initial timeline for transition was 24 months, but ultimately it took 30 months to complete. Build extra time into the timeline. Think about pending shutdowns and turnarounds and factor those in. It is more important to focus on safety, quality, and productivity because right is better than right now. Be prepared to adapt the timeline as necessary and maintain open lines of communication throughout the transition. | Collaboration and Communication are the keys to RightSkilling Program success. | From day one of the Process Analysis to the final days of the Ratio Transition, the client and the contractor must be willing to work together and to openly communicate. It is imperative that we work as partners; we are solving an industry issue, not a contractor issue. Scheduled meetings before, during and after the transition are critical. Work through the challenges with one eye focused on the benefits of a successful transition. Our current system of sharing a workforce, where every contractor continues to fish out of the same unstocked Journey-Level pond, is no longer viable. Journey-Level/Helper ratios have become skewed over time and the RightSkilling realignment provides long term viability. We are working together on a solution now, to prevent a problem later. This is a simple case of Econ 101, once demand overtakes supply, the price will increase. In our world, that means hourly-rate increase. RightSkilling is being implemented to prevent the demand-side from overwhelming the supply-side. | The next in line workforce is available in our local school system Career and Technical Education (CTE) construction programs. | The next in line workforce is available in our local school system Career and Technical Education (CTE) construction programs. We have to identify them, work with them, hire from them, and provide those we hire with career advancement opportunities through work experience, education, and training. There are several viable and valuable outreach resources, and all should be explored. This best practice will focus on the single largest outreach resource for the industry, secondary education CTE. According to NCCER, there were more than 300,000 students taking CTE construction programs in 2020. The more significant data point is that only 22% of those entered into our industry. That equates to more than 230,000 CTE construction students that didn’t enter the construction industry. Strategic alignment to CTE programs is one resource that provides a seamless progression from school to career. In many cases, the curriculum and certification programs that we use internally are also being used in the local CTE construction program which benefits both the student, who can potentially come in at a higher Helper Level, and the contractor, who can verify successful training completions. Additionally, RightSkilling requires training implementation for the outset. Providing quality, comprehensive craft training from the start of a career provides long term stability for the craft professional. We only hire Helpers with minimum aspirations of reaching Journey-Level. Finally, we will be more likely to keep semi-skilled craft professionals working on our projects; particularly those who are actively engaged in their career progression through one of our training programs. We have a workforce shortage but more to the point, we absolutely have a skilled workforce shortage. RightSkilling is designed to fix that issue at all levels. Attachment(s): 06 Worley_WFD_Overview_Four Pillars_2021-05-25_v00_CTE-Outreach | Develop all of the Workforce Development programs and initiatives needed to support RightSkilling first. | Had Worley not had all of the programs and initiatives within the Four Pillars Program (CURT Workforce Development Award Winner 2020), RightSkilling would have been significantly more challenging and potentially unsuccessful. Our 100% score on the 2020 Contractors’ Workforce Development Assessment (CWDA) validates the effectiveness of our workforce development programs and initiatives and provided us the blueprint to immediately implement all the programs necessary for RightSkilling to be a success. This overarching program (Worley Four Pillars Program) should at a minimum include a Strategic Outreach Plan as well as craft and leadership programs for employees at all levels. The long-term effectiveness of this program is our ability to use Strategic Outreach initiatives and training progressions to continually develop a pipeline of craft professionals to meet the needs of our clients. It is difficult to build the plane as it’s flying. Put the pieces together prior to the launch. Attachment(s): 06 Worley_WFD_Overview_Four Pillars_2021-05-25_v00_CTE-Outreach | RightSkilling starts with communication and collaboration between the contractor and the owner. Begin by openly discussing the issues and reviewing the research. This is an industry issue that is not going to go away. Review existing projects ratios and commit to the analysis. Both parties must be engaged and committed. A key quote from the 2022 CURT-CII Owner Study states: "What helps us? Really good, longer-term strategic relationships with vendors that improve everyone and provide greater transparency. It's not standard practice, but it's getting better” (O). RightSkilling is an opportunity for improved, long-term strategic relationships working toward a common goal. Attachment(s): 12_CURT-CII Owner Study 2022 Part 1 FINAL | Do the research, have the discussions, and If the analytics suggest a ratio realignment and both parties are willing to move forward, develop the plans and timeline. Be thoughtful and deliberate through the process. Build in time for shutdowns/turnarounds or other potential challenges. Once the plans are developed and the timeline has been determined, communicate the findings and the realignment timeline with the project workforce. Share the data and the research, drive positive messaging. RightSkilling is a strategic realignment for long-term viability but it can create anxiety within the workforce if not communicated properly. | If RightSkilling is implemented there will be a ratio transition. For the program to be effective long term, there must be a comprehensive workforce development plan to support the training efforts needed. Doing the analysis and adapting ratios on only the first step, an all-inclusive workforce development implementation plan is key to the transition. Use the strategic outreach to identify the next-in-line workforce that is looking for a career and engage them in their career progression through training. Use the training progression programs to engage the craft workforce at all levels. We help build their careers as they help us build and maintain our projects. | Market Intelligence. Users are able to create dynamic reports and data visualization by filtering the CLMA database as desired allowing a clear understanding of labor market supply and demand risk. In addition, the unique CLMA supply tracking data imported by Users into the Labor Manager, enables visualization and understanding of the impact of labor mobility, age attrition and supply growth on any project and/or the overall construction marketplace. All reports produced by the CLMA are based on aggregated data and conform to strict confidentiality and anti-trust protocols. User can save reports and share information with their internal network. The CLMA also provides macroeconomic data that enables User to analyze labor supply and demand in the context of the broader economy. Data can be downloaded into Excel. | Our mission at NCCER is to inform and keep you up-to-date on all things industry. To do this, we’ve provided video research and supporting material below. | The Contractors Workforce Development Assessment (CWDA) is a powerful online, assessment tool and process designed to objectively measure a contractor’s workforce development and training efforts and commitment. The CWDA process works best with the Owner's participation and support. This leadership is the most critical component of any project. The CWDA helps improve project labor certainty by growing and improving the skilled workforce though objective metrics and effective peer benchmarking. | Worley Employee and Community Engagement | Describe how your program demonstrates and promotes a commitment to openness and inclusiveness to diverse population groups. | Rachel Rounsaville | ||
| Pre-Apprenticeship Construction Training | ANEW | 2022-07-25 | ANEW improves people’s lives by providing quality training, employment navigation, and supportive services leading to successful family wage careers. ANEW’s pre-apprenticeship programs provide outreach, training, support services, job placement, and retention to those pursuing non-traditional careers. ANEW provides programming in four areas: training, support services, career exploration, and diversity and equity technical assistance. ANEW’s training programs are Washington State Apprenticeship & Training Council recognized apprenticeship preparation programs. The Trades Rotation Program (TRP) and Pre-Apprenticeship Construction Education (PACE) programs provide trainees with 280 hours of professional development, apprenticeship competency evaluations, career exploration in the construction trades, critical mathematical skills, safety certifications, and physical fitness training. Students in these programs receive a multi-craft basic skills curriculum that consists of carpentry, electrical wiring, and sheet metal working, trade construction projects, classroom instruction, and trades exploration. During their training, students receive the following industry-recognized credentials: OSHA 10, Flagger, and Forklift certifications. Our programming continues once students have graduated and started their new career. To support and increase retention in the construction trades, ANEW provides support services for up to two years after graduation. Examples of support services include employment navigation, assistance with relicensing and acquisition of a GED, financial support for childcare, transportation, required tool purchases, and union dues. During training, ANEW makes it a priority for its pre-apprenticeship programs to feature a trades exploration experience. Students gain first-hand knowledge through active job site visits and/or guest lecturers on challenges and rewards of a career in different building trades. These activities are done by partnering with apprentice programs and employers. With tangible experiences in tradecraft, students make informed career choices that align with their interests, thereby fostering a greater retention rate. ANEW has preferred or direct entry with Washington Building Trades member unions including laborers, carpenters, ironworkers, electricians, and cement masons, among others. The organization has memorandums of understanding with Operating Engineers Local 302 and 612, Sheet Metal Local 66, Ironworkers Local 86, Northwest Carpenters Institute Local 30, Western Washington Masonry Trades Local 1, Finishing Trades (FTINW), Sprinkler Fitters Local 699, Laborers Local 232, Puget Sound Electrical Local 46. These unions either provide preferred and/or direct entry and/or other benefits to ANEW pre-apprenticeship graduates. RISE Up (Respect, Inclusion, Safety and Equity in the Construction Trades) was created to shift the culture of construction to one that is more inclusive to all people. RISE Up provides technical assistance and training in diversity, equity and inclusion for employees, contractors, and public entities. The RISE Up Program includes technical assistance in six steps to inclusion: • Education Leadership • Form a Culture Committee • Training for All Staff • Listen to Your People • Provide Mentorship and Leadership Development • Measure Results RISE Up includes training topics such as Implicit Bias, Bystander Intervention, How to Facilitate DEI Topics, Conflict Resolution, Coded Language and Self-Advocacy. In 2021, ANEW graduated 152 people from PACE and TRP combined. A majority of these graduates were people of color and nearly half were women. | Workforce Development - Training & Retention | Apprenticeship Tours for Student Exposure to the Trades | At the end of our 12-week program we were finding that students did not know as much information as expected about the tradecraft opportunities in the construction industry. This is imperative for them to be able to make the best decision for their future careers, which in turn effects retention rates. ANEW increased the amount of apprenticeship tours for the different trades crafts and has worked with union partners to provide hands on activities with students during those visits to give them exposure to the scopes of work and specialties of that tradecraft. Students now also learn about the application process for the apprenticeship, wages, benefits, and school schedule for that tradecraft. | Increasing Retention for Women and People of Color in the Construction Industry | ANEW has learned prior to, during, and after the creation of the RISE Up program, that to increase the retention of women and people of color in the construction industry, the culture must change. It needs to become more inclusive and welcoming of people who are not white males, which comprises the majority of the current workforce. Programming needed to be created that was intentional and direct to shift the culture. ANEW created the RISE Up program to increase retention rates of the aforementioned demographics and the construction industry. The program attacks bad behaviors, gives managers and those in leadership the tools to combat discrimination, and ultimately shift the culture to one that is more inclusive. The training includes definitions and examples of harassment, hazing, bullying and retaliation, sets the expectations of the worksite. The training is customized to each worksite to include who to contact in the event of one of these negative behaviors. Moving people toward an inclusive culture requires everyone to focus on the behaviors that lead to positive outcomes. This program aims to provide the tools to every person to lead to a more inclusive, safer worksite and thereby improve retention rates. | Professional Development Practices | ANEW solicits feedback and information from union and contract partners every other year to adjust our curriculum. The construction industry is always changing and ANEW pre-apprenticeship programs must change to give our students the best opportunity to be successful when they start working. We received feedback from industry partners that new apprentices were struggling with punctuality, productivity, and reliability on the job site. ANEW contracted with an educational expert to design a framework to implement these important practices into our 12-week program. The framework is called Professional Development Practices (PDPs) and includes six categories that students learn about in week 1 of pre-apprenticeship. They self-grade and reflect on these categories every other week as well as have two 1-on-1 check ins with their instructors to discuss areas they can improve on and how to do that. Our instructors use this framework to teach and work with students throughout their programming. The framework has 4 levels, beginning, approaching, meeting, and exceeding. ANEW’s standard to graduated is to be meeting in all categories. | Speed Mentoring | ANEW facilitates a Speed Mentoring event for pre-apprentices’ mid-way through the 12-week program. This event is always appreciated and talked about by students as one of their favorites. We bring back alumni who are active apprentices in the field to talk to current pre-apprentices. We provide dinner and set up the room like a speed dating event. Each pre-apprentice gets to spend seven minutes with each active apprentice. Apprentices share their experiences, wins, failures, likes and dislikes about the industry. Pre-apprentices ask questions about the tradecraft, scopes of work, schedules, culture, and contractors. This event is priceless to pre-apprenticeship students and when asked about it, most report this event helped them decide which tradecraft to choose for their career. The bonds this event creates last much longer than the two hours apprentices and pre-apprentices are together. It is a start to friendships and a support system they can lean on when they are working in the field. | Apprenticeship Competency Evaluations (ACEs) | ANEW has heard year after year from industry partners that new apprentices do not need to know it all but that they need to know and be comfortable with the basics. As a result, we designed a skills system called Apprenticeship Competency Evaluations (ACEs). This system incorporates twelve skills stations that span across multiple trade crafts. Students practice and train on the twelve skill stations throughout their 12-week program. Students must pass at industry standard for ten of the twelve stations. Industry standard is set by our apprenticeship and contract partners and directly correlates to the entrance test requirements for each of the different trade crafts. | RISE Up Best Practices for an Inclusive Worksite | Creating and sustaining a new worksite culture is a very difficult proposition. It cannot be mandated and will not be changed with a one-time training. Changing the culture can also be at odds with the organizational goals of efficiency and productivity. Culture change takes time and intentionality. The first step to culture change is asking the following questions: • What behaviors do we want to change? • What behaviors do we see that we want to continue? • What are new behaviors that we want to establish? The RISE Up Program assists clients in defining harassment, hazing, bullying and retaliation and provides examples of inappropriate behavior. It provides tools to identify and stop the behavior. It establishes expectations on the job site. To change the culture of the construction industry, leadership needs to communicate its messaging with consistency, urgency, and intentionality. The RISE Up Program provides many tools to ensure the message is communicated in many ways and continuously. Lastly, leadership needs to recognize and reward desired behaviors. When employees report inappropriate behavior, it must be received in a positive manner, so people feel ownership over the worksite culture. If reporting is not received positively, the status quo culture will continue. | It is important to create a curriculum that has clear standards for program completion. Our programming teaches 280 hours of pre-apprenticeship construction training over 12 weeks. That is not a great deal of time, so being upfront about the actions needed to graduate are essential. ANEW’s curriculum is Washington State Apprenticeship & Training Council approved and ANEW regularly consults with its apprenticeship partners to ensure its curriculum reflects what students can expect on a job site. | Partnerships are essential to building a successful program. ANEW is fortunate to have partners in unions and contractors across the state of Washington. For example, our union and contractor partners participate in our programming in several ways, including in mock interviews, job site tours, tradecraft projects, and more. Their support allows our students to experience the work of a broad range of trades, learn the intricacies of job sites and ask questions brought on by these new experiences. | Having the right support staff in place is critical for student success. ANEW hires union affiliated Laborers to teach the construction portion of our programming. The other skills cultivated in class are taught by Program Managers, who also serve as part of each student’s support system. Program Managers also connect students with other members of the organization, like the support services team, to ensure there are as few barriers to a construction career as possible. | Facebook Link | Website link | Karen Dove | |||||
| Cajun’s Credential Verification Services (CVS) | Cajun Industries, LLC | 2022-08-01 | Cajun has always been in the business of process improvement. Our mission statement is “We grow our people to grow our company”. When we say that, we are not just talking about our company’s finances. We are talking about the people and communities in which we live and work. We are talking about creating a lasting work environment where everyone can succeed. And most importantly, we are talking about using the latest and most innovative techniques to verify training and certification of our employees. As our industry grows and construction projects spread further from the home base of Baton Rouge, it is now more difficult than ever to track employees’ training and qualifications. Cajun has taken this challenge head on! In this application, we are going to focus on how our workforce development program utilizes innovative technologies such as the Credential Verification Service (CVS) to maintain compliance and develop our workforce. Through the use of the Cajun CVS card, an employee’s entire training history is accessible, updated, and available which ensures that all Cajun employees, regardless of location, have an efficient and effective method to stay in compliance with company, client, and OSHA mandated requirements. Considering much of our workforce does not have daily access to computers to verify information and run reports, the Cajun CVS card allows all employees to access their personal training and qualifications via their cell phone. The use of this technology provides verification of the employees’ completed training by the supervisor or safety personnel in effort to ensure safe work practices. Implementation of this new technology is huge. Cajun employees having the ability to easily access employee training records is a game changer. A supervisor or safety professional can now scan an employee’s badge with their cell phone and access the employee’s entire training history via their cell phone. The new implementation of technology does not just reside on our jobsites. It has become a staple in our entire training and onboarding process. An investment was recently made to have all the Cajun CVS cards provided to newly hired employees during the hiring process well before they are sent to their respective jobsites. Cajun employees are our most valuable resource. Their well-being is our responsibility; the use of this technology allows us the opportunity to track and provide immediate services to the employees we value so much! | Workforce Development - Training & Retention | Fears of Technology | Modern technology is amazing, but it is important to remember the needs of our supervision! What is common and easy to understand for one generation may not be as common and easy to understand to other generation. That is why it is important to have a game plan on how you are going to accommodate diverse groups. Cajun provided a Superintendent’s New Alert on the CVS card and the plans for the company wide roll out. In addition, company trainers, construction, and safety managers provided one on one training to our leaders on the importance of embracing this technology and its’ benefits. New technology can be scary to some, but with the right mentors and one on one training, we can all use these new tools to make our industry safer and more efficient. | Up to date information is key | To ensure the Cajun CVS program is as up to date as possible, an emphasis must be placed on getting the written tests and practical examinations into the company wide digital vaulting system. Our digital vaulting system is linked to the CVS program which provides downloads and updates to the employee’s card. Having fancy gadgets is great, but without correct and updated information, it is not considered progress. | Safety is key | With an emphasis on safety, Cajun’s CVS program must be integrated into the site supervisions standard operating process. If the supervisors are not verifying their employee’s credentials, we run the risks of putting our employee and the company at risk. Supervisors must be constantly reminded of the technology, the program’s benefits, and the ease of access in order for the program to have a lasting impact. | Invest in Technology, but do not forget to get buy in. | Cajun’s Deep Foundations Business Unit piloted this CVS program for over 2 years with remarkable success. The group was able to reduce the number of employee operator’s cards from roughly seven cards to one. The program proved beneficial by providing immediate access to training records and qualifications to supervision. Communication, on the success of the program, was kept in house and was not shared to other operating groups and management. Cajun Construction Support Services championed the technology and pushed for the creation of a focus group that lead to the company wide roll out of the program within 2 months’ time. | Demonstrations go a long way | Cards were created and distributed to all existing Cajun employees. Once everyone received a card, a Superintendent news alert was created that discussed the purpose, process, and payoff of the Cajun Credential Verification Services Program. The cards prompted all employees to check and verify their own credentials. All supervisors who received the news alerts were then asked to sign an acknowledgement for received information. | Proactive vs Reactive | In certain situations, employees or crews of employees are tasked with completing an objective they have little to no experience with completing. In these situations, the equipment or tools utilized pose a significant risk to both the employee and crew. The Cajun CVS cards allow supervision the ability to access and assess what courses an individual has completed, along with courses that still need to be planned and coordinated. Having these backstops allow the supervisors to explain lessons learned and the reasoning behind certain trainings. This prevents the “check in the box” approach. The ability for real time training verification prevents employees from putting themselves or the company at risk. | Step 1 – If another stakeholder wanted to initiate a similar program at their organization, the first step would be to schedule a briefing to include hiring personnel, executive management, IT, and front line supervisors. The goal of the meeting would be to sell the purpose, process, and payoff of the program to the organization. At this meeting, I would have a good understanding of your company’s current digital vaulting system, as well as the hiring process. Next, would be to research the types of equipment your organization would need to purchase, such as the QR Code generating software, ID printers, computers to be utilized, and plans for personnel to facilitate the roll out. | Step 2 – Create and send out a companywide training brief to explain the new program and its’ benefits. This informational handout should educate and explain the ease of access the employees will now have using the new technology. The document should clearly explain the safety benefits using the program, as well as the transparency for employees to monitor their own training. Once everyone knows and understands the process, print and distribute individualized cards for all new and existing employees. It will be important to keep a log of everyone who has received a CVS card. | Step 3 – Once the program is up and running, send out another informational piece to employees and clients about verifying credentials. Clients will be excited about the ease of access and will go out and verify employees on their respective sites. Employees and supervision should be encouraged to keep up with their own completed training and the training of their crews. | Cajun Employee CVS Card | Cajun Employee CVS Card | Cajun Employee CVS Card | Cajun Employee CVS Card | Cajun Employee CVS Training | Colton Possoit | ||
| Making Concepts Real – A Practical Approach to Equipping Students with Experience in Safe Work Practices, Accident Prevention, and Interviewing | Turner Industries Group LLC | 2022-08-04 | Turner Industries began workforce development efforts in our western region in 2015. We reached out to community colleges, high schools, junior high schools, and other community partners to educate young people on career options in industrial maintenance and construction. As the outreach efforts expanded and continued, we noticed knowledge gaps at the high school, community college, and trade school level. Students were not grasping safety as a working concept, nor did they have the communication skills needed to convey the importance or role of safety in a working environment. When Safety was discussed during mock interviews, the student responses were very canned. Most students could relay that safety is important, but when asked about safety specifics and actions to ensure safety on an industrial jobsite, there were few responses. This topic has come up in meetings with industry representatives in other working groups. They expressed concerns about collaborating with public school districts, since Texas schools are not subject to federal regulation, inspection or enforcement by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). It was time to ask ourselves as industry, what actions can we take to keep young workers entering our gates stay safe starting from day one? This program is part of the solution developed by Turner Industries. Our goal is to help students understand their role in safety, keep students safe in the learning environment, and provide them with transferable skills that can be used from day one on an industrial jobsite. We introduce students to hazard awareness and identification, job safety analysis (JSA), and stop work authority in the learning environment and coordinate mock interviews to help develop communication and interview skills. The goal of the hazard awareness and identification module is to identify hazards in the learning and working environment by connecting them in their role within the hazard identification and mitigation process. The JSA module walks students through the completion of a JSA and shows them how to break steps down to identify, discuss, and mitigate potential hazards. The stop work authority module teaches students that they have the authority to speak up and stop work if they see an unsafe condition or act happening. Mock interviews are designed to reduce stress that students will feel going into their first few industry interviews and provide students feedback on their answers to key interview questions to help them understand how they can improve for the next round. Our program is being replicated by other industry partners (contractors and training providers) in the Western Region. Our hope is that other partner organizations will join us to increase the level of student support in CTE program partnerships across the country, because we are all in this together, just like we are on the jobsite. | Workforce Development - Image & Recruiting | Safety is not covered in a practical way in the classroom leaving a knowledge gap for students | Turner WFD offered to support mock interviews for students graduating from multiple programs in the region. Each student was asked about safety and safety culture. When asked “who do you think is responsible for your safety?”, they were not able to articulate much as a response. From that question, we asked about their view on what makes a safe work environment and how to work safely in an industrial maintenance and construction environment. The responses were not strong and very canned. Most replied, Safety is important. We used this as our starting point and identified what can we do to help the students see that safety is more than a talking point. We produced a plan to support industrial students and teamed up with one of our client companies to give students a good safety overview. The response from the school and students was overwhelming. | Safety is not always a concern in learning environment, and this can introduce unnecessary hazards and can lead to a complacent mindset towards safety | During the development of our outreach programs, we noticed a lack of emphasis on tool inspection and use of PPE in certain programs. In addition to the program offered, we support our industry partners by offering a “Safety Walk Through” of their facilities and learning labs. In some schools, we found issues during visits. Items discovered include grinders without safety guards, fire extinguishers not marked properly, no evacuation plan map in the lab area, trip hazards, tools not in working condition, and students not wearing the proper clothing or PPE in the lab. Our safety managers supported the program by identify deficits, recommending solutions, and speaking to students about industry’s expectations for them to contribute to safe work culture. | Students have unrealistic expectations for securing work in industrial maintenance and construction following completion of training programs | During many conversations and mock interviews with students, we learned that students have unrealistic expectations regarding what is needed to secure work and start a career in industry. Students lack interview and communications skills, and they are caught off guard when they learn that they may not be hired directly into their craft at top pay. Interview and communication skills are soft skills learned through practice and experience. Teaching students interview skills allows them to articulate what they learned in their training programs, how it transfers to the job, and how to interact with the interviewer. Most industrial training programs do not focus on these skill sets. Students are surprised to hear that an industrial welder needs on-the-job experience to be hired in at top pay in many industry settings, and that they may need to work as a laborer or a helper when they start their career. It is important for them to understand that it takes time to develop a career in industry. Some instructors tell students the right things and the message is not being received; other programs have a disconnect from the realities of working in industry. Including operations managers in our outreach program helped students have a better understanding of what it will be like on the job and realistic interview experiences. Realistic expectations and teaching students how to react, respond, communicate makes a difference in opportunities they have when they finish their training program. | Develop Partnerships with CTE and Industrial Training Programs by Offering Classroom Support | Begin by reaching out to local industrial training and CTE programs to setup partnerships. You can start small with one school district or one training provider. Each year we meet with administrators, principals, CTE directors, and instructors to develop a “Vision Plan”. In this meeting, we show training providers ways we can support their programs through classroom visits, presentations, sessions on industry expectations from field operations personnel, and follow up with visits to give students support throughout the year. We include assistance in developing interview skills by offering mock interviews in the spring semester to help graduating students prepare for their first interviews, and coordinate visits to local shops so students can get a firsthand look at a production environment. | Provide Students and CTE Instructors with Industry Best Practices and Updates | We actively look at safety programs being offered on our job sites and incorporate them into presentations that can be delivered at professional development events for instructors and to students in industrial training programs. To have a safe workforce, the future workforce and instructors of the future workforce need to be educated. We take our safety programs into classrooms to give students and instructors the opportunity to see exactly what we are teaching our employees. This gives instructors and students an opportunity to see industry standards, get first-hand experience with safety programs, and give them the opportunity to ask questions. | Go Beyond the Craft Curriculum and Help Students Be Prepared | During your time working with students, you may identify a need that can help their career, but it is not being addressed in the classroom. This is an opportunity to step up and give them the resources needed to be successful. We saw a need in the interview skills area. This presented an opportunity for us to give students a safe environment to answer standard interview questions. Processing questions and responding with good answers can be very challenging. Mock interviews teach students to prepare ahead of time, to have answers ready for standard interview questions, and to have a list of questions that they want to ask during the interview process. This builds confidence for future interviews. Strong support on resume review and development, in addition to interview skill development, helps students have a better shot at securing an opportunity in a job market that has a lot of competition for entry level assignments. | Complete a needs assessment for the programs in your area. This can be done by joining the advisory committees for industrial programs in the area and hosting discussions with school administrators and instructors to identify needs and gaps within curriculum to identify specific ways your organization can support the training program. | Secure senior management support for your plan and partner with other departments in your organization to meet the needs of the training providers and schools. Representation of multiple departments at advisory meetings and specific classrooms can foster a more comprehensive view of industrial maintenance construction. Other departments in your organization may have support materials that can be easily shared with students and instructors. | Map out a support plan with dates and resources (personnel, materials, presentations) to create a road map for the year. Include the following items on the road map for each session: • Who is your target audience? • How much time do you have to present? • Which facilities will you be visiting? Will you be in a lab or classroom? • Are there rules or guidelines to gain entry? • What resources do I have within my organization that can be shared? This will provide notes to ensure your presentations match your audience, easily identify the resources needed for successful student engagement, and allow you to stay on track with items discussed with industry partners | Most Frequently Cited Construction Industry FY 2021 Training Materials | Most Frequently Cited General Industry FY 2021 Training Materials | ROI Institute, Inc., founded in 1992, helps organizations evaluate the success of projects and programs, including measuring the financial return on investment (ROI). ROI Institute, Inc. "Free Tools" section is also available to professionals looking to start measuring the ROI of projects, programs, and initiatives. The section includes templates for data collection, case studies for reference, samples of our work among other important tools for beginners. | Organizations and talent development (TD) professionals use needs assessments to examine the gaps between current situations and desired business results. This article examines the ins and outs of this tool. | Elizabeth Beckham | |||
| The Urban Workforce Development Initiative (UWDI) | Messer Construction Co. | 2022-08-04 | The Urban Workforce Development Initiative (UWDI) is Messer’s novel strategy to recruit, train and retain minority and women residents of the urban core into sustainable careers in the trades. In 1994, Messer and Easterseals Serving Greater Cincinnati partnered on a careers collaborative. The partnership was designed to address diversity challenges in the trades. Through takeaways from the careers collaborative Easterseals developed the model for a social enterprise that would serve as a feeder into commercial construction. In 2006, this model was brought to life when Easterseals opened its wholly owned subsidiary- Building Value. In 2016, Cincinnati Children’s (CC) requested proposals for their +600k square foot Critical Care Building (CCB). This requested mandated a “novel approach” to workforce development. CC is located in Avondale, a neighborhood comprised of a more than 80% African American residents, many who are surviving through generational poverty. CC wanted to leverage the CCB project to serve as a platform to help break the cycle generational poverty and offer meaningful careers to Avondale residents. Messer leveraged key learnings the construction collaborative and best practices from more than twenty years of collaborating with Easterseals on workforce development and created the solution CC sought. The solution was called the Uptown Workforce Development Initiative (UWDI 1.0) because CC main campus is located in the Uptown portion of Cincinnati. In 2017, Messer committed to leveraging UWDI 1.0 to bring 50 Uptown residents into full-time, long-term sustainable careers through paid training, social support and a co-op opportunity with strong trajectory by December 2021. UWDI 1.0 met the goal placing 50 people into 12 trades across 16 different subcontractors averaging more than $16.00 per hour plus benefits. A process called work hardening coupled with social support were the two catalyst that lead to UWDI 1.0s success. Work hardening is a process in which we replicate the rigors of a commercial job site - the environmental conditions, expectations and responsibilities - at a fraction of the scale and pace. UWDI uses BV as the work hardening agency. The goal of work hardening is to ease candidates into construction while evaluating their performance and barriers. The social service component is supported by two full-time case managers (CM) fully funded by Messer. The CMs provide UWDI candidates the needed support to mitigate or omit any seen/unforeseen barriers to sustainable employment (i.e. transportation, housing, childcare, experience, etc.). Case Mangers build contingencies for UWDI candidates so that the barriers they face don't affect their quality of work on the jobsite. This process allows UWDI to filter the best candidates to sub-contractors and maintain high retention. Seeing UWDI’s impact on the individuals served, their families, our customer and the community, Messer committed to expand UWDI beyond Uptown – and even more – beyond Greater Cincinnati, thus the name change to the Urban (replacing the original Uptown portion of the name) or UWDI 2.0. Effective January 2022, Messer has deployed UWDI 2.0 in our Nashville & Louisville regions with line of sight goals across all regions in Messer's footprint. Career opportunities in the trades aren’t easily assessable to the population UWDI serves. By leveraging Messer backlog BV for work hardening and Easterseals social service expertise, UWDI creates a platform for these underserved/underprivileged individuals with little to no experience to get exposure to the industry at a controlled pace with comprehensive support and guidance. We take the UWDI process to subcontractors for the purpose of providing & maintaining meaningful and sustainable employment. Under Messer’s direction this alliance has developed an aggressive and collaborative year-long tracking process that helps drive more than 70% retention among those hired by contractors. The individuals served through UWDI have the ability to ensure the economic prosperity of their futures. UWDI builds a stronger workforce and breaks the cycle of poverty in urban core neighborhoods by putting money and technical skills directly in the hands of minorities. This changes their outlook from surviving to thriving. | Workforce Development - Image & Recruiting | Work hardening operated at more than 50% attrition. | It’s perceived that outfitting someone with certifications is how to prepare them for a career in the trades. Unfortunately, regurgitating coursework in a climate controlled environment does not adequately prepare one for the rigors of construction nor does it paint the broader picture of what’s important to employers. Employers want to know they are hiring someone that will show up every day, on-time, dressed appropriately, can take instruction, apply self-direction and pay attention to safety. Though 134 candidates (total hires into work hardening for UWDI 1.0) said they wanted to work in construction when faced with the realities of that choice they most changed their mind. This tells us work hardening works! We prefer candidates come to this conclusion before ever setting foot on a jobsite. Twelve, forty-hour weeks of BV deconstruction, salvage and hardscaping are filtering the best candidates to our subcontractors. Though BV operates at or around 65% attrition, UWDI graduates have +75% retention up to a year. | Less than 25% of contractors on Messer projects had success with UWDI. | Workforce diversity, equity and inclusion is permeating across the construction industry. Though there are many progressive companies in the construction industry, the overwhelming majority of trade unions and merit shops are in the beginning stages of implementing these practices. Providing subcontractors with both social and corporate support and listening to their feedback is critical to the success of implementing the UWDI strategy. | Weekly touchpoints are key to retention. | If there is no weekly in-person follow up with the individuals and subcontractors through a year of programming, the odds of attrition more than triple. Individuals get comfortable in the controlled environment of work hardening. There, everyone looks like them, they are with people they know and things are slower. When transitioned outside of that comfort zone to commercial sites with strangers where everything is bigger, faster, and louder, in a culture unlike anything they’ve experienced… they get afraid! This fear leads to assumptions and mismanagement of routine situations that come with a professional environment. The weekly interactions with the managers helps the candidate transition smoothly. It gives them an outlet to ask questions, express concerns, and get insight on how to navigate circumstances that are new to them. It is the same with the subcontractors. Keeping them in the loop on what the individual is experiencing, and providing regular opportunities for them to share feedback on the individuals helps everyone involved. | Focus on what matters to the employers! | Employers want people they can depend on. People that demonstrate core soft skills consistently. The construction industry doesn’t need more training certifications. Through unions, merit shops apprenticeships and craft professionals- contractors have the knowledge and ability to train. They need people that can demonstrate core soft skills. Less than 30% of candidates that came into BV for UWDI 1.0 having certifications are still employed in a construction related field. Focus less on training certifications, take individuals out of the classroom and focus more on getting individuals connected to hands on experience in an environment that replicates a project site. This is work hardening and this is what matter to the employers. | Front-end training document are needed to manage expectations. | Often time’s individuals go to a project site and are lost in the shuffle. They end up doing what they perceive to be menial task for extended periods of time. Though these tasks are important and need to get done, this can be very discouraging to an individual and commonly results in attrition. We work with the sub-contractors to complete a training document that describes where the individual will be working, what it is they’ll be doing, who they’ll be working with and what it is they are expected to learn over a course of time. The activities or locations may change based on priorities for the given day but having this document allows us to communicate with the individual what it is they can expect. It allows the manager to track what it is the individual is doing and gives the subcontractor an opportunity to be thoughtful in how they sprinkle in “meaningful work” opportunities when possible. | Create a network to support the vision. | Leverage community-based organizations and city funded initiatives to build a network of contingency resources. Work with the union halls and merit shops to utilize their training facilities/resources. There are many barriers that prevent individuals from sustaining employment. Building mutually beneficial processes with specialists help to expedite problem solving. Ultimately this will increase the odds of success per individual. | First, initiating a similar program would first start with gathering the stakeholders/partners and documenting commitments. Rather it’s a general contractors seeking a social service organization or the other way around the two must connect and work together to build the programs scope. This must be ordained from the top down as the need for executive level support is of the upmost importance. The contractor then takes the strategy to a customer committed to economic inclusion and workforce development. The customers buy-in permits the general contractor to write participation into the subcontracts. This builds the expectation and sets the standards. | Secondly, the partnership must stockpile contingent resources to help program participants through traditional barriers like childcare, transportation and housing. The worst thing that could happen is your program only has success with individuals who come already employable. Create processes that move individuals from their barriers to a point of sustainability in a timely fashion. The innovation and flexibility of the private sector offers up tons creative solutions. Find partnerships that specialize in areas of need and work with them to serve your population. | Lastly, appoint a full-time manager to drive your program to success. UWDI would not be successful if it wasn’t for the 40+ hour weeks of the manager. The manager needs to be someone who knows and has relationships with the candidates and the subcontractors. The customer, candidates and the subcontractors must know that there is someone owning the process and advocating for them. | Newspaper article about the impact of UWDI on the CCB project. | This article captures the commencement of UWDI 2.0. | Stanley Warrenhuffman | |||||
| Preparing entry-level CDL drivers in construction with training that’s available anytime, anywhere | Alliance Safety Council | 2022-08-15 | Alliance Safety Council began more than 60 years ago with a staff of only three people. Today, Alliance is one of the nation’s largest training councils, with five state-of-the-art facilities in Baton Rouge, Gonzales, Addis and Walker, Louisiana, dozens of network partners, more than 100 skilled team members and more than 1,300 innovative training courses. Each year, Alliance helps more than 270,000 workers become job ready and safety aware with best-in-class training and customer service. In every state, and around the globe, we have brought advanced courses and solutions with one goal in mind: to create a workplace that’s safer and a workforce that’s smarter. Alliance’s newest offering, ReadyDriver, offers a timely solution to an issue currently facing all industries: shortage of truck drivers. The ReadyDriver program, which can be taken from any device, any location and at any time meets new entry-level driver training requirements from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Effective February 2022, in order to be eligible to take required skills or knowledge tests, commercial driver’s license (CDL) applicants must have completed applicable entry-level driver training (ELDT) from a provider listed on the FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry (TPR). Alliance Safety Council is an FMCSA-approved provider. Alliance partnered with Diesel Driving Academy as a trusted trucking industry expert to ensure all training content reflected relevant terminology, objectives and needs. The ReadyDriver program offers fast-paced online lessons for entry-level truck drivers that focus on: understanding your combination vehicle, performing and participating in inspections, basic operation and control, safe practices and procedures, staying safe in extreme conditions, safely handling and transporting cargo, hours of service and trip planning, and legal rights and soft skills. This training helps better prepare students for the permit exam, which is a necessary step in obtaining a Class A CDL. Once entry-level truck drivers complete ReadyDriver, they’ll have the confidence and knowledge necessary to complete their commercial learner’s permit exam. Next step: behind-the-wheel skills training at a training provider listed in the TPR and applying for their CDL. | Workforce Development - Training & Retention | The Importance of Focusing on User Experience First | Our Director of Product Excellence and his team complete customer interviews, mock-ups and reviews with the user’s experience top of mind. This continues to make a tremendous difference for us in delivering quality training solutions. | Departmental Groups and Developers Must Work Together, and Work Together Daily | It is impossibly easy for teams to become out of sync and lose sight of the end goal without consistent touchpoints across all departments with a vested interest in the project/product. | The importance of People Over Processes | Good, focused, passionate people can overcome a bad plan, but not the other way around. | Lock in Your Vision Before All Else | Create a long-term product vision up front, get buy in and incrementally build toward that vision. Prepare to change course/direction as new information presents itself, as it always does. Avoid dogmatic ideals and details that may prevent you from ultimately delivering that vision. | Keep It Simple, Always | Keep a product on focus and as simple as it can possibly be. Rather than constantly increasing scope and building complex systems that end-users ultimately don’t understand, don’t use and will struggle to maintain. This ultimately creates waste, opportunity costs and unhappy customers. Sometimes it’s what you don’t do rather than what you do. Simplicity is an art; not all opportunities are worth chasing. | The highest priority should be to stay customer/student focused through early and continuous delivery of valuable solutions. Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer's competitive advantage. | Build your project/solution around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done. Continuous attention to excellence enhances agility. | At regular intervals, the team should reflect on how to become more effective, then fine-tune and adjust behavior accordingly. The best solutions emerge from self-organizing teams. | Meagan Kohls | |||||||||
| The Delivery of “More”: Associated Builders and Contractors, Ohio Valley Provides More Resources, Connections, and Opportunities | Ohio Valley Chapter ABC | 2022-08-15 | The TOOLS program was born as ABC strived to keep delivering more to it's members. Years ago ABC’s members came together and formed the Ohio Valley Construction Education Foundation (OVCEF) which is where all of our training and education lives. One main goal of this decision to create the OVCEF was to engage our youth, and offer support to those schools looking to gain exposure for students in the skilled trades. The apprenticeship classes we offer to our members use the NCCER curriculum. It’s is the same NCCER curriculum that our sponsored schools are currently using and it is the sole reason the TOOLS program was created. With all that said, we wanted to use our members strength and ability to hire and train to help our member schools get better results and career paths for their students who choose the skilled trades. In doing that, members help create a pipeline of talent that matches their needs and helps the entire skilled trades workforce grow. Growth in our workforce is and has been needed for a very long time, and what better way to have a team of unicorns than to build and create them. If one decides to opt into the TOOLS program it only helps and supports the NCCER curriculum goals we, as an association already have. Members of ABC who participate are asked to assign a liaison to be the connection to the school liaison. This is to coordinate support for demonstrations, career fairs, job shadowing, or anything similar the school could use help with engaging the students in the trade or trades you deal with. Members are asked to commit to holding in school interviews either during the year for those students who can co-op, or at the end of the year before seniors graduate. We also ask that members are prepared to hire acceptable applicants. Finally we ask them to support one or more schools via donation to the TOOLS program scholarship fund. This creates minimum of one scholarship to be given away at each school that participates. Multiple scholarships can be given away based off of the members donations to their respective school or schools. The average donation range given by members so far has been ($500-$2000) but no set dollar amount is expected. 100% of all TOOLS donations collected by ABC go directly to the schools. There are some other models of support from our members exist within the TOOLS program on a larger scale, but these are special cases between the member contractor and the school they support. | Workforce Development - Skilled Craft Labor | The Time is NOW! | A vast majority of the schools we have interacted with and all that participate in our program have moved away from the college for all mentality and have shifted to career based learning models which support the students who are not heading to college. The time is now to start building the partnerships that will lead the school and contracting partner into the future with great results for the students. Workforce pipelines are dry and this is a method of filling them while simultaneously opening doors for graduating students to walk into the skilled trade career of their choice. | Don't take no for an answer and then default to what the schools have been doing in the past. | Schools want us at career days and think that’s the extent of career exposure. While we will always support these efforts and enjoy having our booth filled with students every time but these are just superficial actions. The truth is, we want more and we offer more! We want to be innovative and change things that are old and becoming obsolete. For example, events such as career fairs where someone is just talking should be moving towards being fully immersive virtual reality experiences or switch from passing out flyers to skills challenges that give students the opportunity to be hands on. There needs to be pushes for change be everything that "isn't broken" might still need to be fixed. Being innovative and breaking the mold of past methods is key. | Schools can be flexible in working with employers. | The Co-op model of the past was usually a half day of work after being at school the first half of the day for your academics. That model was inefficient and did not give the student or the company enough time daily to advance their skills and gain meaningful experience. This model also created more driving for the student with minimal time on the job. These models are changing and have evolved with each school to allow more time on the job and less travel. Schools are now using week on and week off schedules which alternate between a week of work on the job and a week in class for school work. There are also multi and half week plans that seem to have great effectiveness and better results. The overall goal is to get students prepared for their futures! Therefore, a compromise has to be made by schools and employers to keep the students' best interests in mind and lead down a path of success. | Keep it simple and fun! | When it comes to connecting with our up and coming students who may have an interest in the skilled trades the goal is to keep it simple and fun. Whether it is our contests and giveaways, or our scholarship entry process it is all geared to be appeal to the interests of the students. The goal is to engage students by utilizing something they are already doing. Social media is our best connection to students and it’s also how they apply for our scholarships. A short 30-90 second video is what they are sending to their friends on socials anyway. So why not use that same creativity to apply for our scholarships and contests. This method helps build awareness and lets students showcase their talents and embrace their creative side. If an individual is going into a skilled trade they most likely do not want to write a long essay so this method gives them the freedom to do something other than that. | Get as many "touches" as you can. | We define touches as any in person engagement in which we can directly interact with students. Some ways in which we do this is visiting classrooms, attending career related events or speaking at assemblies. Our program is designed with a minimum of 3-4 touches per school year by the contracting members. Having a school liaison that works directly with the contracting partner’s liaison makes this flow seamlessly. They are able to request in class demonstrations, and speaking opportunities as well. | DO NOT just ask for money. | While money is key for helping the program grow and for the financial aspect of the support we provide to the students through scholarships and other gifts and prizes. The truly beneficial support that goes further than the monetary is the in class demonstrations, the job and career fair participation and other in school evet support. The hundreds of job shadows and co-op opportunities combined with the mentorships have a lasting impact on our youth. Which is why asking for money alone should never be your goal. | Create your ideal program from the ground up or modify an already successful plan and tailor it to your company’s specific goals. Make sure this plan benefits the students and schools first. This is key! By doing this there is no risk to the school or the student. The end result is the student being hired by the partner company which is a benefit for them in the end. | Get out there and connect with your local high schools and trade schools. Set up meetings to discuss the program overall, what it has to offer and if there is openness to a partnership with you and your affiliates. If they are open to the partnership then proceed to sign the agreement form which outlines what both parties are offering to bring to the table. If not, then ask for feedback on why they were not interested. Take the feedback and try partnering with another school or work to make improvements by coming up with innovative ways to implement something new or make alterations. | FOLLOW THROUGH! This is by far the most important step! Following through with the commitments made at the agreement signing is what will make or break your program. This in turn allows those connections/partnerships made to last year after year. This will also help with expanding the program to other schools and contractors via word of mouth. | This is the main site for the Ohio Valley Chapter of ABC. This site contains an abundance of information about the organization, what we do, events, and more. | This is our outreach website to help people find careers in construction. We also utilize this site as a portal for students who apply for TOOLS program scholarships. | John Morris | |||||
| Cornerstone Construction Training Program in Partnership with CityLink Center | Turner Construction Company | 2022-08-15 | a. Turner helped develop and provides ongoing support for CityLink Center’s Cornerstone Construction Training program, a four-week training program that equips individuals with what they need – including hands-on training, workplace skills, industry certifications, and employer connections – to launch a career in construction. The training program utilizes the NCCER Core Construction Curriculum. Graduates of this program emerge NCCER Certified and are ready to enter the workforce in an entry-level capacity. Since the launch of the first class in June 2019, 64 individuals graduated from the program, with 80% of them obtaining employment in construction careers. The average total wages of all Cornerstone Construction Training program graduates has increased by over 200% upon completion. As a result, all program graduates have moved off public assistance. CityLink has been a phenomenal partner in addressing workforce challenges the construction industry faces. Turner’s engagement with CityLink began in Fall 2018 when CityLink conducted a construction industry study to help understand the supply and demand of the local workforce. The study determined that while demand was high, there were barriers that limited the supply of available, high-quality talent. CityLink, with its personalized approach to serving the whole person, was well equipped to tackle this problem head-on and we were energized to support their efforts. In April 2019, Turner and Jostin Construction announced our First Source Hiring collaboration with CityLink Center as part of the FC Cincinnati MLS stadium project. Challenged by our client to ensure this project leveraged local talent, we looked no further than CityLink to help build a sustainable solution. We spent months working to activate our shared vision of a holistic workforce development program that addressed the many complex barriers to employment in construction careers. The result was a pipeline development program that connects individuals from the West End and surrounding communities with hands-on training and job opportunities related to the construction of FC Cincinnati’s new Major League Soccer stadium in the West End community. | Workforce Development - Training & Retention | Assessment of the barriers to entry into a construction career is an important first step before developing a workforce development program. | For six to eight months, Turner and Jostin Construction staff did a full assessment of the organizations in the community that ran workforce development programs. This allowed them to utilize programs that were already in place and create opportunities for collaboration instead of duplicating services or needs. | Direct industry involvement is critical in creating a relevant training program. | It is important for the industry partners themselves to be involved in the training processes so that they are addressing specific needs. This involvement leads to more accurate reflections of industry needs as the training focuses on what specific skills are necessary to thrive in a career in construction. | Leverage a successful existing workforce development model | The decision to partner with an existing organization that has a proven model of success was key to ensuring the capacity and sustainability of the program. Turner was able to provide technical construction expertise to the program while CityLink was able to provide their service delivery expertise to make for a quality, mutually-beneficial partnership. | Co-located, on-site wrap-around services create a recipe for success | CityLink is built on the simple concept that services should be centered around clients. They have been able to harness the power of local resources through an innovative collaboration on a single campus where their clients find access to not only support, but lasting relationships and a holistic path to their full potential. CityLink delivers services while collaborating with partners to combine and sequence multiple services that address various aspects of client lives in one, seamless, experience. Turner is proud of our collaborative partnership with CityLink and their unwavering commitment to their program’s mission – to provide a diversity of long-term career opportunities for all. The team at CityLink takes such pride in supporting their clients and making a marked difference in the lives of those they serve. What we appreciate most is that CityLink has been and continues to be committed to creating more than a passive referral program. They took on challenging work to design a system of support, wellness, and economic empowerment that would break the cycle of poverty and get people to a place of self-sufficiency and hope. | The first step is to assess the landscape for existing workforce development programs and needs that are currently not being addressed. | The second step is to partner with an organization that has an existing program or mechanism to deliver a successful program. | The third step is to establish ongoing evaluation mechanism within the program. | This site includes a video from a docuseries that follows the career path of several individuals. This particular video focuses on CityLink alumni, Rebecca Lewis who now works as a drywall specialist. | This is the home page for the Cornerstone Construction program. You can find a high level overview of the program and quick stats about the program advertising their success. | Kristen Smitherman-Voltaire | |||||||||
| This One’s for the Gals – Fueling the Future of Women in Industry | This One's for the Gals | 2022-08-23 | In October 2021, our founder, Stephanie Hajducek, approached her manager at Steel Dynamics, Inc. and asked if the company could sponsor a group of female high school students from Sinton High School and take them to the Women in Industry Conference that was being held in Galveston, Texas in March 2022. This conference started in 2015 and its main goal is to help create an awareness of all the job opportunities that are available to women in different industries such as petrochemical, oil & gas, construction, etc. Her manager said yes and encouraged her to approach the school and work together to help work out the details. The initial thought was that Steel Dynamics would use their company van to take 10-12 students and 1-2 chaperones to the conference. The school was very excited and willing to collaborate with Steel Dynamics on this initiative by providing bus transportation and providing meals and lodging for their students so that they could travel the day before the conference since it was about a 4-hour drive. Stephanie then began to think that if her company was willing to take part in this initiative why wouldn’t other area companies. She started reaching out to other local industry partners asking if they would sponsor other local schools. So instead of getting 10-12 students from 1 school to the conference, over 200 students from 9 different schools got to attend thanks to these sponsors – Gulf Coast Growth Ventures/ExxonMobil, Cheniere, Kiewit, Voestalpine, MMR Group, Chemours, Airforce Turbine Solutions, Boardwalk Pipelines and of course, Steel Dynamics. On the day of the conference Stephanie got to watch as hundreds of young girls had their minds filled with encouragement to “Be Uncommon” and seek out opportunities in industry that they may not have considered previously. Needless to say, her efforts were a huge success. After the conference, Stephanie knew that she had stumbled upon a need in her community that many may have known existed but weren’t sure how to confront. She decided to form a nonprofit organization, which she called This One’s for the Gals, to help reach female students in grades K-12 to help them with career exploration and encourage them to step out of their comfort zone and step into a world full of endless possibilities in industry! In an effort to reach even more students, This One’s for the Gals has partnered with Del Mar College and Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend and together they are working to bring a similar conference to South Texas. | Workforce Development - Image & Recruiting | Understanding the dynamic of your target group. | The night before the conference, many of the students were enjoying the amenities at the hotel as the chaperones were keeping a close eye to ensure everyone stayed safe. One of the counselors approached Stephanie and thanked her for helping put everything together. She went on to say that most of their students have never stayed in a hotel room before or even been outside of their hometown. This is something that never even crossed Stephanie’s mind. It was then that she realized that it wasn’t just a trip to a conference that she helped organize it was an experience that opened a lot of young eyes to a whole new world. Moving forward, we want to focus on the overall experience and find ways to create opportunities for students to try something different/new and of course, fun! | It’s okay to start where you are at. | One of the biggest things through all of this was Stephanie knowing just how great the need in her area is. After receiving approval from a sponsor and approaching a school to let them know she knew that there was another school right down the road that needed the same opportunity. She wanted to take every school near and far, but a mentor of hers told her not to worry, to just start where she’s at and it will grow. That was the best piece of advice she could have ever received. Now the goal isn’t to just reach as many schools and students as we can, the goal is to share what we are doing and have someone from another town or another state say, I want to do that for the girls in my community! | You are going to need help, and a lot of it so don’t be afraid to ask! | This initiative took off so fast. It turned into something that Stephanie never dreamed it could. It may have started as a small idea, but it quickly grew and before she knew it, she was coordinating the logistics of 9 different schools and 9 different companies while working full time and keeping up with her family’s schedule (which included not one but two seniors graduating high school in May 2022). After seeing just how much support there is for this initiative, she knows that she is not alone and that there are a lot of people out there that want to be involved all she has to do is ask. | Grow your network. | It is so important to grow your network and connect with people that can help you achieve your goals. One of the tools Stephanie used was LinkedIn where she connected with people that worked for local industry companies and shared with them what her company was doing for their local high school. She asked for a contact that may be able to help her with her initiative to get other schools sponsored and she had no problem getting other on board to help. | If at first you don’t succeed, keep trying. | There were instances where Stephanie’s messages went unanswered both with requesting a sponsorship for a school and even from the school itself. There was one school that wouldn’t return calls or emails and she had a sponsor that was ready to write a check but no one at the school to accept it. She didn’t give up. She reached out to the very top of the administration and once they were made aware of the opportunity, they immediately started making plans to get their students ready to attend the conference. | Be resourceful. | When looking for a sponsor for a school Stephanie would pull up a map and look for businesses in the area because she felt that local businesses would jump at the chance to support their local school – and she was right. For one school, she couldn’t find a business with a visible presence – mainly because it was a small, rural town – so she pulled up a Texas pipeline map and looked to see whose pipeline ran through the county. She reached out to that pipeline company and within a couple of days she was in contact with their Philanthropy Specialist to make arrangements for funding to be sent to the school. | Reach out to your local school district’s administration and tell them you want to visit with their students and share a little about the company you work for, what your company does or what they make and what your role is. Knowledge sharing is the first step, and it’s cost is minimal. | Find a local conference similar to the Women in Industry Conference and help get as many students to the conference as you can. Don’t just help them get there, but you need to go too and watch how their eyes are opened to a whole new world. If there isn’t a local conference in your area, start one. | Aim to create experiences. Swag bags full of stuff are fun and nice, but try to organize activities that they may not get too do too often – visit a local manufacturing company for a tour, take them to an event and invite professionals from the industry to join in encourage your employer to host an open house event. | Article published by one of our local media outlets. | Article published by one of our local media outlets. | Article published by one of our local media outlets. | Podcast with Empowering Women in Industry Founder Charli Matthews and Kesha Williams, keynote speaker at the Women in Industry Conference 2022. | Podcast with Learnings & Missteps | Stephanie Hajducek | ||
| Building Better Leaders: Field Leadership Initiative Program (FLIP) | Performance Contractors, Inc. | 2023-07-05 | At Performance, we have never lost sight of the fact that our employees have always been the key to our success. For years, we have focused our resources on training and retaining the next generation of skilled craftsmen and we have been rewarded with a highly skilled and highly loyal workforce. The growth in that workforce has now created a new challenge – at the leadership level. With 6,000 employees spread across 20 states and almost 100 jobsites, traditional methods of instructor-based training became increasingly difficult. However, we have long held the belief that in every obstacle lies an opportunity. We saw an opportunity not only to expand our leadership training, but also to modernize it. And so, our Field Leadership Initiative Program, better known as FLIP, was born. Developed in 2021, FLIP is a modern workforce development program designed to train, mentor, and communicate career development with current and future field leaders. The program uses modern concepts, like microlearning, and emerging technology, like LMS, to engage our employees. The program reaches over 1700 field leaders and has resulted in over 60,000 training modules completed and over 2,000 promotions company wide. FLIP uses Absorb Learning Management System to deliver standardized training to foremen, supervisors, superintendents, and future leaders across the company. Initially, the program is web-based, allowing leaders to complete training on-the-go and at their pace. Training is delivered in microlessons, approximately 2-3 minutes long, and can be completed directly on a mobile device. This is followed by one-on-one coaching with an assigned mentor to further discussion. Once completed, field leaders can go back and reference previously released training in LMS. The program was initially designed to build a safer more productive field leader but has since become a tool to expedite the development of new leaders. In 2022, early projections indicated we would require another 700 field leaders to meet market demand in 2023. Field managers were immediately tasked with identifying craftsman on track to Foreman and enrolling them into the FLIP program. Since launching the initiative, over 1200 craftsmen have been promoted to construction foremen. So how does it work? New leaders are identified and then enrolled into the FLIP program and assigned a mentor. From there, video training is sent directly to their phone monthly. Mentors are responsible for following up with field leaders after new training is released. After all is complete, field managers hold a training session onsite to discuss the video and how it relates to the work being performed onsite. Field leaders are given the opportunity to ask questions and meet with their mentor for further clarification. This method has proven to be efficient and effective in training front line leaders. By providing training in short burst, microlessons, it helps leaders eliminate their own obstacles to advancement, such as when to fit training into their schedule. At Performance, we want everyone to win. Helping our employees build better careers and ultimately better futures has been the key to our success! | Workforce Development - Training & Retention | Top-Down and Bottom-Up Approach | To be successful, you must take a top-down as well as a bottom-up approach. It’s critical that your program is led by the top guy on the org chart, without their support, the program is likely to fail. It’s also critical that you receive feedback from entry-level management, if you’re not creating content that is relevant and impactful to them, your program is also likely to fail. Whenever creating a new program, make sure that upper management has your back and fully supports. Also make sure to include entry level management when making decisions on new content. This will ensure your content is relevant, easy to understand, and impactful to end users. | Invest in the right systems. | Without the right information systems, innovative programs like FLIP would not be possible. Absorb Learning Management System allows us to deliver standardized web-based training across the country. Mass text software allows us to reach employees in real time. Microsoft Power BI gives us the ability to report on and track employee development. Our in-house training app paired with employee I.D. scan cards allow us to verify employee training in real time. Together these information systems enable us to create new and innovative ways to train our employees. | Calculating Return on Investment. | Investing in training can have a significant impact on a company's performance and overall Return on Investment (ROI). ROI of training is not always immediate or easy to quantify. Measuring the impact of training programs can be challenging, and some benefits, such as increased employee morale or improved teamwork, may be more difficult to quantify in financial terms. It's essential for organizations to establish clear goals, track relevant metrics, and evaluate the effectiveness of training initiatives to assess their impact on ROI accurately. | Explore Microlearning | Microlearning is a learning approach that involves delivering small, focused units of information or learning activities to learners. While it has gained popularity in various educational settings, it can also be effective for adult learners. Microlearning breaks down complex topics into smaller, easily digestible units. This approach is particularly suitable for adults who may have limited time or prefer learning in shorter bursts. It allows learners to focus on specific concepts or skills without feeling overwhelmed. Adults often require immediate access to information or solutions to specific problems they encounter in their work or personal lives. Microlearning provides on-demand learning resources that can be accessed when needed. This allows adults to acquire knowledge or skills quickly and apply them immediately. Microlearning has proven to be an effective and efficient way to break our training programs down to deliver to our workforce. | Content Committees/Subject Matter Experts | All great training programs should start by establishing a content committee. A content committee is a team of subject matter experts within your organization responsible for creating new content, reviewing previously released content, and reviewing program performance. The content committee should be an inclusive group that is passionate about the subject at hand. Whenever creating new content, especially for Field Leaders, you want to make sure that the content is relevant and presented clearly. | Program Champions | Every workforce development program needs a designated person at management level responsible for the overall success and implementation of the program. The champion should be comfortable talking to large groups and possess good leadership skills. The same could be said at the site level. Each site needs a designated person (program champion) responsible for the overall implementation of the program onsite. Often programs fail not because of lack of want to but lack of how too. Having someone there to not only push the program but also answer any technical questions is key to a successful rollout. | The first step of any successful workforce development program is ensuring that executive level management is onboard and invested in the program. Without support from the decision makers and people invested in the success of each program, the program is likely to fail. Next, you want to select a program champion. A program champion is someone designated for the overall success and implementation of the program. | The second step is to set goals and develop an execution plan. Do not wait for everything to be perfect before starting, rather begin with what you have and shape the program as you go. | The third step is to identify pilot sites. Use these sites to track and analyze progress so that changes and modifications can be made to improve the program before official rollout. Also, if you are using new technology to implement the program, use this step to check for glitches. You want everything to be running smoothly the day of rollout. Glitches in technology after rollout can cast overall doubt in the program. Always use pilot sites to test your program before rollout. | Overview of Performance Contractors Inc. FLIP program presented by CEO Kevin Courville. | Example of FLIP video training. | In the video, you will see senior leadership speak on the importance of training, retaining, and providing opportunity for our employees. | Performance Contractors is humbled to be featured as the cover story in Construction Executive Magazine following our award as the 2023 ABC Contractor of the Year. This award recognizes member companies for corporate integrity and commitment to safety, professional development, and expert workforce development. We are honored to be recognized on such a large scale and to have our story shared with the entire industry. Read more about the start of our company, our expansion, and the importance of workforce development. | The VETS Indexes Employer Awards was created to recognize organizations that do the most to hire, retain, promote, and support veterans. Performance Contractors is honored to receive this award, the most objective and comprehensive evaluation of veteran employers. Our commitment to recruiting, retaining, and developing veterans as well as supporting them and their families is of the utmost importance to us. | Kenny Derouen | ||
| IMPACT’s Construction Contracting Business Fundamentals Academy | IMPACT | 2023-07-07 | The career progression of an ironworker typically follows a career path in which an ironworker starts as an apprentice, graduates to become a journeyman, then gets promoted to a foreman, gets further promoted to a general foreman, and then gets promoted to a superintendent. This career path typically involves working for an established ironworking company, and although this career path often results in a successful and satisfying career, many ironworkers at all stages of this career path become interested in starting a new construction company, thus becoming the business owner rather than working as an employee of an existing company. However, running a successful construction company requires a different set of skills from those required to install and run work in the field. In 2015, IMPACT recognized a need to offer training to teach ironworkers the fundamental skills required to start a construction company. These skills include setting up a business structure, establishing an accounting system, preparing marketing materials, implementing a business development process, identifying work opportunities, entering into contracts to perform the work, hiring ironworkers, completing projects, and navigating the payment process. As a result of this need, IMPACT developed the Construction Contracting Business Fundamentals Academy. The Business Fundamentals Academy (BFA) is a five-day intensive program designed for new and future ironworking contractors who want to develop or improve their fundamental business skills. This program provides the business foundation that will strengthen a new contractor’s ability to be profitable during the early startup or transition of their company and to become firmly established as a successful contractor. The primary objectives of the Business Fundamentals Academy (BFA) are to: 1. Provide an alternate career path for ironworkers who are interested in starting a construction company and being a business owner. 2. Provide a learning opportunity that fosters an increase in business skills, resulting in stable trade contractors that are professional and profitable. 3. Provide learning opportunities that develop or expand participants’ knowledge of business planning, accounting and finance, marketing and business development, construction insurance, contract language, and techniques for getting paid. The Business Fundamentals Academy (BFA) has been a tremendous success, as evidenced by the number of members who have participated in the program and ultimately started a successful company. The metrics below are a testament to the success of the program: • Number of classes offered since 2015 (Fig. 1): 26 • Number of participants since 2015 (Fig. 2): 390 • Percentage of participants that are now signatory contractors (Fig. 2): 30% • Number of cities that have hosted the Business Fundamentals Academy (Fig. 3): 17 • Return on Investment Ratio (for previous 2.5 years) (Fig. 4): 19.75:1 • Benefit to Cost Ratio (increased productivity versus per-person training cost for previous 2.5 years) (Fig. 4): 25.6:1 • Performance improvement achieved (due to training) (Fig. 4): 39.19% • Expected Decrease in Risk (Fig. 4): 78.08% • Expected Increase in Customer Satisfaction (Fig. 4): 75.34% • Expected Decrease in Costs (Fig. 4): 72.60% • Expected Increase in Sales (Fig. 4): 71.23% • Expected Increase in Productivity (Fig. 4): 71.23% • Expected Increase in Quality (Fig. 4): 64.38% The following testimonials reflect the positive sentiment about the course: • The knowledge I acquired through the BFA will decrease my chances of running into a "cash crunch" and prevent me from having to layoff ironworkers. • Being able to accurately calculate costs will be vital to my success as a low-funded first-time business owner. My financial power won’t allow me to make many mistakes in this industry and this course has 100% help alleviate a lot of risks I will encounter. | Workforce Development - Skilled Craft Labor | The course has required frequent updating due to rapid changes in the construction industry. | The Business Fundamentals Academy has required frequent updating to keep up with changes in business practices within the construction industry. Significant updates have been completed four times to the content since inception in 2015. Specifically, we revised the accounting and finance sessions, marketing and business development sessions, construction contract interpretation sessions, and the payment process sessions. Minor updates have been made every year to incorporate participant suggestions and also to remove content that is less relevant and add content that is more relevant to small business operations. The course, as currently delivered, reflects the information that is critical for a company to be successful during the early start-up and operations of their business. This process of refreshing the course ensures that the program remains relevant and appeals to our members. | A follow-on coaching process is an important part of the long-term success of new business owners who completed the Business Fundamentals Academy. | During the first two years following the launch of the Business Fundamentals Academy, we discovered that many individuals that completed the course needed additional coaching and assistance to ease their transition from field work to business operations. For example, individuals often needed assistance by an accountant to help them set up an accounting system. Or, they needed the help of an attorney to collect the money owed to them for work completed. Or, they needed assistance with writing a business plan to obtain financing. As a result, we established a follow-on coaching process called the Business Incubator Leadership Development (BILD) Program. This program provides a single point of contact for BFA graduates to call when they need help as a new business owner. We believe the combination of business skills training and follow-on coaching has been critical to the successful startup of many new ironworking construction companies. | The course content should be very practical with examples and exercises that help participants apply what they learn when the class is completed. | When the Business Fundamentals Academy was first launched in 2015, the accounting and finance sessions were too complex for a small startup business. The content was more appropriate for a larger, well-established company. After receiving feedback from several participants, IMPACT initiated a significant update to introduce accounting and finance topics appropriate for a small startup contractor. We ultimately had to complete two additional significant revisions to continue to narrow the topics to cover day-to-day accounting procedures relevant to startup contractors. Similarly, we had to conduct two major revisions to the marketing and business development topics to create content that is appropriate for small startup contractors. Our goal is that a participant can “walk out the door” and immediately apply the full content of the course to their business. | Ensure developers and instructors of the course are absolute experts on their subject-matter and have outstanding teaching and interpersonal skills | The participants in the Business Fundamentals Academy consist primarily of field ironworkers. Consequently, these individuals have extensive experience in the construction industry and can quickly recognize whether or not a class instructor is an absolute expert on their subject-matter (such as accounting or marketing). All instructors must be able to answer any subject-specific question with confidence and accuracy, which is used as an important measure of knowledge proficiency and teaching skill. Furthermore, every instructor is evaluated by IMPACT staff members and all course participants each time they teach the class. Requiring instructors to be absolute experts on their subject-matter has garnered critical respect, as noted by the following testimonial: "The IMPACT instructors were all very well-versed and knowledgeable on their specific sectors of the classes and they all impressed me with their ability to make learning (how to run) a business very easy for everyone.” | Update the course frequently to reflect current trends in the construction industry and ensure content resembles relevant business situations | Business trends change frequently, so it is critical to frequently update any course that teaches business skills – possibly one or more times each year. Likewise, the handouts and exercises should resemble actual business situations as closely as possible to prepare the participants to deal with similar situations once they are operational. For example, getting paid for work completed can often be a challenge. The process begins with submitting an accurate pay request, and therefore, we teach a step-by-step process for determining how to calculate payment owed and to prepare an invoice. We also supply all participants with a process for following up after the pay request has been submitted to maximize their chances of getting paid as soon as possible. | In addition to creating a powerful business skills course, also develop a follow-on support program that can provide additional startup resources | Offering support and resources following the completion of a training course is a well-known technique for fostering successful implementation of the skills learned. While teaching fundamental business skills is an important step in creating a career path that encourages ironworkers to become business owners, this process would be incomplete without a follow-on program that provides coaching and resources for new startup businesses. We have been successful at connecting our startup contractors with accountants, lawyers, insurance companies, and experienced business owners to aid them in setting up an accounting system, getting paid for work completed, purchasing insurance, and developing business plans. These connections have resulted in win-win situations for our participants and the companies that provide resources, thus increasing business for our resource suppliers while simplifying the process for participants to set up a team of subject-matter experts. | The first step to implementing a successful business skills course, similar to the Business Fundamentals Academy, is to identify the most critical skills needed to start and successfully operate a new construction business. Prior to starting the development of the Business Fundamentals Academy, IMPACT queried several successful ironworking business owners and subject-matter experts to establish a list of topics that were generally considered “fundamental” to starting a successful business. While the majority of the topics continue to be part of the Business Fundamentals Academy curriculum, several topics were removed and were developed into separate courses, and most of the existing topics have been modified to be more specific to an ironworking construction company. | The second step to implementing a successful business skills course is to employ subject-matter experts to be part of your development and delivery teams. IMPACT employed in-house experts and external subject-matter experts that demonstrated a mastery of their subject and who had the unique ability to adapt their content specifically to the ironworking industry. Using this technique of hiring subject-matter experts and adapting the business concepts to the ironworking industry has increased the respect and credibility of the course and has resulted in teaching business topics that continue to reflect current business trends in the industry. | The third step to implementing a successful business skills course is to offer the course in various locations around North America to make the process of participating convenient. IMPACT developed a U.S. and Canadian version of the Business Fundamentals Academy and offers the course three times every year in the U.S. and once every year in Canada. Locations are typically varied each year to give all ironworkers an opportunity to participate in the program. To select locations, IMPACT maps all previous locations to identify regions that have not previously hosted a class and also have a need within the region to create new contractors and/or encourage business ownership. | Cindy Menches, Ph.D. | |||||||
| Growing Your Skilled Workforce – Using SOJT to Build Careers | Turner Industries Group LLC | 2023-07-21 | The need to build a more robust workforce development pipeline is evident in the hundreds of thousands of job openings in our nation’s advanced manufacturing and construction industry. A generation of workers focused on college readiness versus trade careers and a decline in craft trade education in high schools has created a drop in the number of craft workers to pull from, and the issue is compounded by a pending wave of retirements due to the aging of the workforce. In our effort to find and develop the next generation of workers, we have been developing the workforce pipeline by partnering with high schools, community colleges, and community partners. Our goal is to build a multi-craft workforce to staff our fabrication shops. While the NCCER curriculum helps with filling several craft development needs in our industry, the skills needed for fabrication do not exist in a single curriculum but are pulled from many programs making our task a challenging one. The goal of building a multi-craft workforce in a condensed timeline with a consistent experience and learner outcomes to sustain our workforce needs and support our clients meant that we needed to look in-house to develop our team, and that is when our program began. The pilot program launched in 2011 and has been through a few adjustments since its launch, including growing the number of participants, expanding the roles within the program as well as its geographic footprint, the setup of onsite weld schools, multiple high school partnerships, and the creation of an advanced manufacturing mentorship program to introduce community college students to careers at our shops and prepare them for their first job. In addition to the program support elements, our SOJT has grown into a task-based program where experienced mentors work with program participants to show them how to perform the job and provide opportunities to practice the work while working in small crews within the fabrication environment. Each crew is comprised of a Fabrication Helper, Tacker, Fabricator, and Welder. The small working crews allows for group training and gives employees the opportunity to see other job classifications in action. Many program candidates have already taken structured classroom training at high schools, community colleges, and other partner training organizations. The SOJT program enhances the training they have already received while growing the skills of those starting at the bottom. The program is effective at minimizing costs and maintaining productivity when compared to traditional training methods. Program participants are provided key information about the program, career paths, safety, and quality policies before signing up. Being transparent about the program and using participant feedback to identify areas of growth and interest have yielded long term benefits to our fabrication department and program participants: • 27% progressed to crew leader or higher • 45% achieved journey level status • 23% achieved multi-craft journey level status • 5% transferred to another division Utilizing this program at multiple locations helps Turner Industries create a workforce not just for our fabrication division, but multiple job sites across the gulf south. Attachments: Building Careers on the Job - Career Path Overview | Workforce Development - Training & Retention | Transparency About the Work Environment with Program Participants and Program Partners is Essential | Transparency is an essential part of having people know what they are signing up for when they agree to work in a manufacturing environment. Many individuals have unrealistic expectations for securing work in industrial manufacturing and construction following completion of training programs and have no idea what that work will be like on a day-to-day basis. That is why we tour the facility during the hiring process, so our new to industry employees are not shocked when they report to work. | Keep Development Pathways Flexible to Benefit Employer and Accommodate Fluctuating Interests and Changing Career Aspirations of Program Participants | Training workers to perform multiple roles in the facility without their input can be time intensive and, in the end, a waste of time if the work does not align with the employees’ interests or skill set. For example, training a Welder to be a Fabricator/Pipefitter who really wants to be an Engineer, or new participants that want to be welders, but after experiencing the workplace ask to explore a different career path. Whether it’s engineering drawings or QC, their interests are rarely cemented in their initial choice. We enable program participants to chart their path and reach their fullest potential with the skills they learn in the program. Employees enter as helpers and develop skills that go beyond the fabrication shop. We often reach out to other divisions within the company to find openings that align with career aspirations as participants continue to learn and grow. | Structured On the Job Training Programs Take Time, Energy, and Effort to Be Successful | Mentoring SOJT program participants is not a volunteer role or something that can be penciled in under "other duties as assigned". You cannot expect your mentors to facilitate quality training in addition to all their other responsibilities and receive nothing in return for their efforts. Programs that operate from mentoring as a volunteer role will fail in the long run. SOJT is a work task with specific skills (mentoring & performance feedback) and responsibilities (paperwork, training, and evaluations). Mentors need management support, performance support tools, program resources, mentor training, reduced production responsibilities during training, and recognition to be successful in their role. Their success is as important to your program as the program participants. In addition to supporting your mentors, it is very important to be intentional about who is serving as a mentor within your program. Mentors pass on their feelings about the work and the company when they are training program participants. It's essential that the impressions they make are positive, productive, safe, and quality oriented because this will impact the work culture of your jobsite in the long run and impact program participant retention rates. A great resource on buidling SOJT programs is "Learning While Working" by Paul Smith. Details about the book and the author can be found at: https://www.td.org/books/learning-while-working | Non-Discriminatory Selection and Advancement Processes | The selection process for program participation is non-discriminatory. We accept individuals from all backgrounds and skill level, from high school students to second chance hires, and share them into craft professionals. All participants receive the same support material and are evaluated using the same form and clearly defined rating scale. When there are opportunities to advance, the HR manager will post open positions in an area where all employees can view the job, rate, eligibility, and the duties and requirements for the position for three days. Everyone has access to see the positions to advance as they open and can apply for the role. HR evaluates program progress, employee performance, attendance, and safety rating. If all elements are equal, HR will select based on hire date. If the participant is not qualified for the role, they are provided feedback and a path forward that could include more time on the job, additional classroom or jobsite instruction, or opportunities to improve performance metrics on evaluation so that they can move into that role in the future. Attachments: Job Posting Notice Example Performance Evaluation Sample Internal Qualification Matrix | On-Site Weld School | The Pipe Fabrication Division utilizes the concept of an on-site Weld School for employees wanting to develop or improve their welding skills. Employees can practice their welding and tacking skills with an experienced trainer immediately before or after their normal shift. While the practice time is unpaid, the materials, supplies, testing/x-rays, and trainer time are provided free of charge. Training sessions last 2 – 2.5 hours and are offered twice a week. Employees learn the specific skills needed to be a successful welder or tacker. These sessions are open to all program participants and no prior welding experience is required. This opens the door for all individuals wanting to grow their skills and have more opportunities as a qualified welder or tacker within the company. Attachments: Weld School Overview | Advanced Manufacturing Mentorship Program | The Pipe Fabrication division partnered with the Workforce Development department to develop a 12-month program to introduce students to Advanced Manufacturing and Turner Industries Group. The main objectives of the mentorship program include introducing students to the diverse jobs available within manufacturing and construction and the skills needed to be successful and the development of a pipeline of candidates for entry level work. The program covers the program structure and expectations, safety, communication skills, reading manufacturing drawings, relationship management and teamwork, personal financial planning, diversity in the workforce, conflict resolution, managing stress, material handling, first impressions, interviewing skills, and a plant tour. Sessions were held on the last Friday of the month during a two-hour block. Mentorship program participants will be hired into entry level positions as they become available. The program was a success and will be offered again the next school year. Attachments: Advanced Manufacturing Mentorship Program Overview Program Evaluation | Determine the Needs: Complete a needs assessment to determine the need, scope, and objectives for your program. This can be done by inverting your chosen evaluation model (Philips or Kirkpatrick) and working through the steps in reverse. If you start with the business impact, you will identify the essential steps needed to make an impact with the program that you are developing and ensure that you have leadership support and stakeholder alignment before you begin program design. Attachments: Focus First on Needs Needs Analysis and Assessment Job Aid Collection | Be Intentional with Structured On The Job Training (SOJT): Provide structure for your OJT training program to ensure consistent delivery, participant experience, and outcomes. Some companies “train” through informal OJT training, and for many companies that leads to inconsistent learning transfer, missed information, and / or propagation of incorrect information. It can be challenging to “unlearn” something, so you want participants to learn things the right way the first time. Clearly think through the on-the-job training and identify objectives and key performance tasks, just like you would if you were developing a course. The more work you invest in the beginning, the more positive results you will have in the end. Attachments: Resource Overview - "Working While Learning" - Paul Smith SOJT Support Document Templates | Be Transparent: Be transparent about all aspects of the program including performance expectations, paths available, skills needed, evaluations, and advancement. Encourage employees to be what they want to be and help them grow into the role. If someone wants to be a welder, advise them how to be welder and let them know how you can support them to make that happen. Be authentic and transparent in conversations and with the data so they feel like they are a valued team member with control over their success. Attachments: Fabrication Career Path Overview Presentation PFAB Career Path JD Bundle* Turner Foundational Career Path | The success of Turner Industries, and therefore our clients, relies on our ability to attract, retain, and train a quality workforce. This is not a one-sided equation; it’s a continuum. Our success and growth leads to more employment opportunities, career paths, and economically stable communities where our employees live and work. By making major commitments to in-house innovations and partnership initiatives, we ensure the ability to provide our clients with the skilled craftspeople and management necessary to achieve their goals. | Read our 2022 Corporate Responsibility Report to learn more about our unwavering commitment to workforce development. | Elizabeth Beckham | |||||
| #SHEbuildsHouston - Helping Women Enter Construction Careers | Construction Career Collaborative | 2023-07-24 | Construction Career Collaborative is focused on helping commercial construction companies in Houston, TX grow their talent pipeline and talent management practices to achieve a safe, skilled, and sustainable craft professional pipeline. This is our answer to the ongoing 'silver tsunami' happening in the industry. As the workforce ages, the incoming talent pool continues to dwindle due to problems with the image of the industry as well as the push for young people to go to college as the main pathway to success. In response to the growing concern about how to find more people to enter the industry C3 has partnered with NAWIC's Houston Chapter to create a program specific to recruiting young women into the trades and the professional occupations of our industry. NAWIC (The National Association of Women in Construction) is focused on providing opportunity and amplifying the successes of women in the industry and was excited to partner in this event as it allowed them to finally have a venue to share their jobs with young women. Because as founder of Tools & Tiara's, Judaline Cassidy, tells us "How will they want to be us if they can't even see us." The event is a half day field trip that is held twice in one day to maximize the impact while limiting the time from vendors and speakers. Each half day can accommodate between 750-1000 students broken into three or four rotations. Each rotation spends time interviewing women in discovery tables, indoor exploration arena, outdoor exploration arena, and trivia to motivate. Discovery tables are tables of 10 with one or two host women. The women spend approximately half an hour with the 10 students who are given questions to ask about career entry, a day in the life of the career, and even career path and trajectory, and finally the education needed for the career. The speakers will range from field work to project managers to CEOs. Finding speakers is never a problem because as much as women want to build they want to help other women build. The indoor and outdoor exploration arenas are focused on getting hands-on tools and equipment. Local contractors and trade partners will arrive with activities that include making concrete roses, operating an excavator, putting on a harness and tightening scaffolding, lifting acoustic panels with suction cups, wiring up remote control cars, and experiencing virtual reality training programs that teaching painting and conduit bending. The activities must be vetted by volunteers from C3 and NAWIC to ensure that they are not repetitive and that the students can safely perform them. The final rotation will be to the trivia room. Our trivia is developed each year to focus on the unique contributions of women to all sectors of construction, the plethora of job titles in construction, the phenomenal projects created by construction, and the earning potential of those who chose to be in the industry. Realizing that school districts are a long term play overall when thinking about filling roles, C3 asks the school districts to focus on bring middle level or junior high students for half a day and high school seniors for the other half a day. This allows us to pollinate the younger minds so they can focus any career training on the construction and architecture fields or STEM while allowing us to capture the interest of those preparing to launch into the workforce in the shorter term. Those seniors are then invited back to a interviewing and hiring event that culminates in a signing day. | Workforce Development - Image & Recruiting | Don't try to feed the kids and have some emergency medicine available | Our second year had a feeding of students element that delayed launch of programs. The agenda timeline is incredibly tight and any fluctuation can impact what the student see and participate in during their time with us. We have found that sack lunches either on the way to the event or as they return on busses to home schools is the most successful. These don't really relate but not having a medical team on hand would be a major mistake even for small things like skinned knees but for more major things like heat exhaustion, dehydration, and female issues. All of which we have experienced over our three events. | Flex and Bend | During our 2021 event, the March weather was uncharacteristically warm and we needed to get water to students who had dressed for the normal weather Houston sees in March. We had not planned to give students water and found that the vendors were passing it out of their stashes and running out. We had volunteers run to local walmarts and get water to replace at vendor booths and also for students for the remainder of the event. That event also had the lunch glitch discussed previously, this kept vendors working with students longer and not able to grab their box lunches. Hospitality volunteers did their flex and bend again to grab some carts from the culinary room and wheel out meals to those doing activities with students. We have had rotations get off and more students show up than should be in a room so we are always prepared to pull discovery tables to a more panel format with lots of q & a. So the moral for us is plan and bend! Be flexible because a perfect execution is every student had a good experience and the image of the industry is positive. | Don't Stagger arrival and color code the groups | For us a standardized arrival (as close as possible) is very important. This allows the flow of the day to be simplified and simplicity with 1000's of students is critical. Additionally we have found that analyzing flow of traffic and not having groups cross paths is critical. Breaking up the groups into no more than 150 students with an accompanying teacher and two volunteers is critical. But most important is the color coding of the groups by either a tshirt color, lanyard, or hard hat sticker is key to being able to help someone find their group again should they become separated by a trip to the restroom or need for medical attention. | Find a Safety Sponsor who is a construction equipment supplier | The best practice that we have put in place is to have a safety sponsor do all the safety kits. We approached a supplier in our network that was able to do a bulk order with their vendors of our hard hats, safety vests and safety glasses. The amount of room needed to store those things was a barrier to growth for our small office. It allowed us to leverage their warehouse for storage, preparation of the bags and eventually they also delivered to the event site the day before so we did not have to pay for delivery services. The sponsorship is worth roughly $65K in 2023 and we give them a tax deduction form but also allow them to have time with our vendors to share their products and to attend our golf tournament as a team and beverage station sponsor to thank them for this gift that makes such a huge impact on the event. | Prepared Questions for Students at Discovery Tables | Sometimes working with students is difficult and keeping their attention is tough. We offer our discovery table leaders an outline that gives them an idea of some things to cover but also have prepared questions for the students to ask. Our speakers have candy and hard hat stickers that are distributed to the young ladies who ask questions and participate in the discussion. Asking a question by reading it off the page is so much easier than coming up with one on the fly. | Do a QR code for your survey | We leverage a QR code for our post event survey that allows students to give feedback but also to opt in to future communication with us via cell phone. The youth of today are mobile device driven and often do not leverage email like we do. The QR code allows them to supply their phone number and opt in to text messaging about future events, trivia contests, and hiring events. | You need an organization to have someone full-time devoted to this activity for at least 5 months that can be your champion of details. Even if the program is going to run at a net zero profit, you need an organization to run the funds through as a clearing house and to negotiate with vendors for purchasing and deliver of items. | You need a group of women who are dedicated to getting their male counterparts to ally themselves with the idea that construction must begin to be more open to the hiring of women. This group of women should ideally be 10-15 who are dedicated to working with volunteers to get the first event off the ground. They will be the champions of the work to the public | Have a strong advocate in a school district that is connected with the career and technical or construction trades/architecture programs in order to help you navigate the red tape of districts and recruit an internal team to lead the pieces like student transportation, registration, and marketing to families. Additionally it is critical to have a senior level school district employee or administrator engaged with the program. | This page contains media coverage from 2022 and pictures from our 2023 event. Additionally it shows the event details from 2023. Registration and volunteer to speak links are currently under a password protection until we begin the recruiting for 2024 in about 2 months. | Angela Taylor | ||||||
| ABC Construction Exhibition Program | Merit Shop Training Inc. | 2024-06-13 | Through Merit Shop Training Inc, the ABC Construction Exhibition Program was "revamped" following the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic to capture the interest of the Career & Technical Education (CTE) students wishing to learn more about the skills & trades careers within the local construction and petrochemical industry. Before 2020, the program only hosted around hundred sophomore students within one area of Brazoria County and would have participation from approx 10 organizations, covering a few different industry practices. Since then, the construction exhibition portion of the program has hosted approx 400 students each year throughout Brazoria and Matagorda County and has increased participation to 25 plus total organizations as of 2023. With the increased participation from organizations, the exhibition can now demonstrate more "hands-on" activities centered around the construction trades such as: pipefitting, welding, instrumentation, electrical, rigging, rope access, equipment operation, boilermaker, insulation, scaffolding, millwright, process technology and fire safety. With sophomore students participating in the construction exhibition, students are able to then decide on which crafts and CTE course pathways that they wish to enroll in. The exhibition serves as an amazing "starter" point for CTE students. Once the exhibition is held and students then choose what crafts and pathways they would like to pursue, students from their junior to senior year will participate in construction and plant field trips, Basic Plus Orientation (Brazosport Safety Council), mock interviews, grinder training (Safety Education Team) Helper Orientation Program (HOP), and the BCPC Career Signing Day Event, which gains full time employment. | Workforce Development - Skilled Craft Labor | Construction Exhibition Frequency | In previous years the construction exhibition was only conducted on a bi-annual basis and was an all-day event. After reviewing the survey and the needs of our local construction and petrochemical industry, our committee felt that having the skills and trades exhibition would be best on an annual basis and rotate students throughout the day. This would allow for more engagement and to be more equipped, begin building a stronger workforce pipeline and allow CTE students to become interested in a craft and then choose what pathway they would like to choose in their local high school. By having the exhibition annually, we have been able to add more consistency to the program. Schools and organizations both know when the event will take place and how to get involved. Also, since this is annual, organizations can work all year to build their activities and set recruitment expectations. | Rotations and Zones | With 20 plus different activities now at the construction exhibition, we have developed a methodology for our craft zones and student rotations. We surveyed our committee and felt the need to have different activities in 4 separate zones with timed rotations. This allows students to get a chance to experience all the different crafts that are represented and is a better use of both the student and company time. Now that the program is growing and we have around 400 students a year, an allocated time schedule is crucial to the overall schedule, student participation and organization involvement. Our program currently has expanded to 4 Zones and 32 different rotations. Each school is registered under a color code system and assigned zones and rotation times. A horn is blown to indicate zone switches. | Adding Sophomore Students | Previously the Construction Exhibition only consisted of Juniors and Seniors. Through surveys with schools and employers, our committee made the decision to incorporate sophomore students only. This allows for younger students to experience hands-on exercises and then decide what career and CTE path they would like to choose. By starting the students their sophomore year, this also allows them to participate in other training and education MSTI programs their Junior and Senior years such as: Helper Orientation Program (HOP), grinder training, plant tours, Basic Orientation Plus, etc. | Hands-on Activities Only | The ABC Construction Exhibition is “hands-on” activities only. Since there is a strong need for skills and trades training and education for CTE students, the program only focuses on hands on skills where their students are performing the tasks or activities. The idea behind this is to truly get students involved and not just collect fliers or watch videos. Hands on participation is the best way for students to truly understand what it takes to get started in a craft and highlights the skills students may realize is a good match for their abilities. Hands on activities that occur are, but not limited to carpentry, electrical, equipment operation, bolt-up, rope access, pump alignment, instrumentation, virtual welding, ironworking, etc. Throughout the year the committee meets with contractors and owner organizations to decide on what types of activities they would like to demonstrate for the CTE students. Organizations are not limited to what they can perform with the students and are allowed to have as many stations as possible. | School Scheduling | Schools are scheduled to attend by where they are geographically located in accordance with ABC Texas Gulf Coast in Freeport, TX. Since this is a 4–5-hour event, we schedule the closest schools during the first part of the morning, so other schools situated further away can attend later in the day. Since our schools’ sizes vary greatly, we also take into consideration our smaller schools when scheduling occurs and combine them with other smaller schools to keep a large size of attendance during their time slots. Our school sizes range from large 6A schools to 1A schools, as well as private schools. | Volunteers and Zone Leaders | Since we host over 400 CTE students and have well over 20 demonstrations and activities, volunteers and zone leaders are a must. Each year, our committee extends invitations to various school officials and industry leaders to volunteer and lead each zone. The zone leaders and volunteers help with getting the students to each demonstration location and keeping track of time for their rotations. If students need extra guidance, water or have general questions, the volunteers can assist. Volunteers also assist with routing the buses to and from the location and auditing the safety performance during the event. | The first step in launching a program of this size and magnitude is having the correct location and facilities. With this being one of the first steps in a CTE students’ skills and trades development, having an open warehouse or shop space is crucial to conduct hands-on type training. Open spaces also are needed for outside activities such as equipment operation and scaffold building. Having these spaces helps students and demonstrators have a “free” space to conduct activities. We also have bus routes and parking locations for buses, vans and other vehicles if needed. Routes and timing play a large role in the planning for the event. | Construction and petrochemical support for the program is essential. Our program is fortunate to have the support of local and large-scale construction organizations (such as Turner, Marquis, Wood, JVIC, Taurus Industrial) and owner organizations (such as Dow, BASF, Phillips 66 and Chevron Phillips) that support the program. A program such as this is built to mirror the business lines of our partners mentioned and develop talent that will eventually be employed by them. Our committee is comprised of various leaders within the construction and petrochemical space. They volunteer time and sponsorships to make the program a success. | With Career & Technical Education (CTE) on the rise, having each school district’s commitment plays a strong role in the program’s success. With school and business partners, our committee can survey and poll different levels of interest from a student’s perspective and the construction and petrochemicals perspective. The program can then plan our event and post event programs centered around these needed. When filling the event with participants, the CTE programs are contacted about what types of students to bring and what course pathways would be mirrored. Our committee relies on school officials’ expertise on bringing students to the exhibition that would have strong gains from the demonstrations, recruiting and overall experience. | The ABC Construction Exhibition Program Video shows a glimpse into the initial event and describes the program and outreach. | This linkedin post showcases the ABC Construction Exhibition Program. | The BEYOND Program was created by Merit Shop Training Inc and the Brazosport ISD to help create the future construction and petrochemical workforce. Many CTE students that attend the ABC Construction Exhibition Program will also enroll in BEYOND. | This is a linkedin post regarding the SET grinder training. Students will participate in the ABC Construction Exhibition, then receive more hands on and classroom training regarding grinder use and safety. | In 2022, The Facts covered the ABC Construction Exhibition to showcase the events impact on Career & Technical Education (CTE) and the local skills and trades industry. | Theresa Cravey | ||
| Choose Your Path - Navigating the Industry Roadmap | Turner Industries Group LLC | 2024-07-26 | Workforce Development for Turner Industries is dedicated to attracting new talent into the industrial maintenance and construction industry and providing them with a pathway to success. This requires frequent interaction with high school students in settings such as classrooms, labs, shops, career fairs, and more. From the perspective of a high school student, industry can seem very intimidating - “Where does one even begin to explore a career in a refinery? What are my options? Where will this career take me?” From the perspective of Turner Industries, we want that dialogue. We encourage questions, observations, and feedback. With that being said, we know that not every student is wired to communicate the same way. Ultimately, through engagement and discussion, a student can find some direction, which is reflected in the name of our program - “Choose Your Path.” Instead of relying on brochures, hand-outs, and promotional materials to tell our story, we designed a hands-on activity that puts the student in the driver’s seat. Participants can scan a QR code on display at a career fair booth or on the “Choose Your Path” brochure. The code will guide them to the Turner Industries Workforce Development Landing Page with a brief overview of the activity and the four potential career paths, also known as “crews”, to pursue within the company - Innovators, Makers, Road Warriors, and Guardians. Each pathway contains a small quiz that will test their knowledge and hopefully encourage additional dialogue with a Turner representative. Their name, contact information, and location are recorded as well as their quiz results. A shared folder is kept to record this data for marketing and tracking purposes. Participants can earn small promotional materials for their participation. Helpful links regarding career and technical education and job opportunities can also be found on the previously mentioned landing page. The activity itself takes only a few minutes to complete, but it opens up the floor for students who may be timid to ask questions. Members of Workforce Development and other departments are there to encourage the discussions. This is our way of tackling the obstacles that students see when exploring our workforce. It’s a way to connect education to potential job opportunities. “Choose Your Path” can be utilized at events such as career days, college and career fairs, vendor fairs and other on-campus events. It can also be used inside a classroom as a teaching tool for participation and discussion. | Workforce Development - Image & Recruiting | Human Element is Critical to Career Exploration | Many vendors look for unique and innovative ways to market their products and brand. This can include promotional items such as writing pens or cups. While we do enjoy providing high school students with “stuff,” the real purpose of this activity was engagement. Attentive and informed Turner employees were necessary to capture the attention of students, propose the idea of the activity, and assist them while they participate. Engagement is preferred to a physical item that gets lost in the stack of brochures and takeaways. It had to have “staying power,” in both the metaphorical sense and literal sense to entice a student to stay and have a physical conversation. Including other departments such as business development or supervision has allowed students to see a bigger view of Turner Industries. | Incorporate All Divisions of Turner Industries | While the largest driving force behind workforce development is to recruit for industrial maintenance and construction positions, we can’t neglect other departments and divisions that are still critical to our success. Turner does more than just providing construction, maintenance, and other industrial services. With over 18,000 employees, we still have a need to recruit individuals interested in accounting, legal, human resources, support services and more. We made sure to include some of those positions as career opportunities. “One Solution for Your Success” has always been a motto of Turner Industries and that played a large part in this activity’s creation. The skills gap affects more than just a specific craft or division. | Make Your Content Concise, Relevant, and Easy to Digest | Our marketing and workforce development teams joined forces to discuss the content of the activity. During our brainstorming, we realized we wanted to include the most attractive and exciting parts of our industry. We agreed on three things: 1. It should be quick and to the point. The attention span of a high school student at a college and career fair may be hard to contain. We wanted to avoid the material becoming superfluous. 2. It should be relevant. How can the activity convince a student to self-reflect and internalize the information? 3. It should be challenging but not too challenging. We frequently remind participants that it’s fine if they don’t score a perfect score on the assessment. The purpose is to uncover information they were unaware of. It also creates some anticipation in seeing their final results. | Define Your Approach to High School Recruitment and Engagement Within Your Own Company | Companies that practice workforce development must determine the best approach for each audience that they engage during outreach events. We would not use the same strategy to recruit veterans, junior college students, and high school students. We wanted to use a proactive approach that was not intimidating or overbearing. We understood that with previous recruiting experience we could not simply rely on a table top display and expect large volumes of students. Our end goal was to have a conversation to uncover things that students in our region never knew about the industry or our own organization. We wanted the activity to be eye-catching, interactive, and educational. It was also necessary to make the activity become multi-use, having the ability to display it in a small or large setting or within the confines of a classroom. We don’t just engage at local career fairs. We are active within high school classrooms, especially those that promote career and technical education. We must also constantly include post-secondary training options in our discussions. | Analyze the Trends of Students on a Local and National Level | We understand that the attention span of an attendee at an industry recruiting event may be very minimal, high school students even more so. A career fair can be overwhelming, noisy, and crowded. We set out to determine what speaks to a teenager's interests when we do have their attention and time. Asking a student to write their information on a clipboard seemed antiquated. We determined that utilizing a QR (Quick Response) code was the best way to grab the focus of a student while still allowing for engaging discussion. A “quick response” seemed to fit with our recruiting approach, and if the activity leads to further discussion, then we’ve accomplished the goal we’ve set. We also recognize that today’s students have many more options with regards to careers and post-secondary education. Turner Industries employs students from career and technical schools, community colleges, and universities. Occasionally, those institutions are in the same setting when we utilize the “Choose Your Path” program, and we can easily guide those students to continue their exploration at their tables and booths. | Incorporate Marketing into the Design of Your Vision | After Turner Industries’ marketing group received the initial request from the workforce development team, the next step was to conduct thorough market research. This included understanding the target audience of high school students and analyzing other key stakeholders, such as educators and counselors who influence career choices. The marketing team then engaged in creating a gamified, "Choose Your Own Adventure" experience to make the booth interactive and appealing to the younger generation. They crafted compelling messaging through four career pathways (Innovators, Makers, Road Warriors, and Guardians) to cater to diverse interests in the construction industry and incorporated a lighthearted quiz on the microsite to subtly increase industry and company knowledge. The booth integrated with the microsite, providing students with easy access to resources and contact information. By incorporating best practices, such as targeted messaging and visuals, and tracking booth visits, microsite traffic, and quiz completions, Turner ensured measurable results for ongoing campaign improvement. Understanding the target audience's interests and the need to shift industry perceptions were key factors that led to the concept's development. These marketing best practices resulted in an engaging and informative booth and microsite experience, effectively attracting young talent to Turner Industries. | Evaluate your current high school outreach program to determine strengths and weaknesses. | Brainstorm with your team and relative departments to create a new strategy to reach and engage students. | Pilot test your program to uncover any roadblocks and deficiencies. During the testing, gather feedback from internal groups as well as students and educators. Refine the program using internal and external feedback prior to full launch and use across the organization. | Landing Page with Choose Your Path Crew Descriptions and useful links focused on careers, career paths, training, and upskilling | This is the landing page where interested individuals can view openings across the company, see qualifications for advertised roles, apply for a job at Turner, and easily see the locations of our hiring offices along the gulf south. | Career Path showing progression from high school to supervision and management. | Bryan Gerace | ||||
| Google’s Skilled Trades and Readiness (STAR) Program: Preparing individuals for entry-level roles in construction & skilled trades | NCUS TEC | 2024-08-13 | The Google STAR Program offers short-term training aimed at preparing individuals for careers in the construction and skilled trades (carpentry, mechanical, electrical, and fiber-optics). Designed to increase the number of new-to-industry workers entering the skilled trades workforce, the program also focuses on increasing diversity and opportunity within these high-demand fields. Google partners with nonprofits and community colleges in regions where they are building its data centers. By partnering with training providers in Columbus OH, such as NCUS TEC and Columbus State Community College, Google force multiplies the number of individuals that receive skilled trades training. The successes and lessons learned in Ohio have enabled the company to expand the STAR program to an additional five states, where they also work in close collaboration with regional community colleges and local non-profit organizations. One aspect of the program that benefits all training and education providers, as well as employer partners, is the collaboration between training providers across states. This allows for educational partners to replicate programs already built in other locations based on industry needs, creates a standard student experience across states, and provides opportunities to share best practices and curriculum. Employer partners also know that the student graduates have like-minded training and education and that the input they have provided is being incorporated into the program nationally. The unique key to the STAR Program is the participation and commitment from Google’s construction and trade partners. Google works closely with the companies that build and operate its data centers, involving them in the curriculum, and - most importantly - gaining commitments to hire program completers. Every STAR graduate should walk off the stage and into a living-wage career. In doing so, Google creates positive social change and contributes to thriving communities. The STAR Program structure includes: 1. 4-5 weeks of full-time training involving hands-on lab learning. 2. Training near Google’s data centers, with visits to ongoing Google construction projects. 3. Student opportunities for employment networking, job site tours, and exposure to union and merit shops. 4. Full PPE for each student, including work boots, hard hats, gloves, and outerwear. 5. Full set of industry-standard tools. 6. E2E mentoring and job placement assistance. Learning Tracks: 1. Construction Readiness: Focuses on carpentry, mechanical, & electrical trades, with a comprehensive overview of the industry, blueprint reading, and math skills. 2. Fiber Optics: Focuses on providing entry-level installers with the background knowledge and skills needed to function safely and effectively on the job. Additional program components include: 1. OSHA 10 certification. 2. First Aid/CPR/AED. 3. Soft skills, professional skills, and financial literacy. Education Collaborators: Construction readiness and fiber optics training is provided by Community College and Non-Profit Partners across IN, MO, NE, OH, SC, TX, VA | Workforce Development - Training & Retention | Aligning expectations and needs of our participants with their real life situations | We maintain constant communication with our target population throughout the training and post employment allowing us to build connection and trust with our participants. This helps us to better understand where we can collaborate with partners in the community, industry and employer sectors to meet the unique needs of our participants. | Flexible and Adaptable | Our target population has different learning and academic challenges and life barriers that prevent them from successfully completing the program. We tackled these challenges by setting clear and realistic goals, creating regular feedback channels, introducing new curriculum and offering continuous support and training to our staff and partners. We have also infused more hands-on learning opportunities with our students. In addition, our faculty has added office hours for students to take advantage of individual and group tutoring sessions. | Timing of Enrollment vs. Training Start Date | When students apply for the training a month in advance of the cohort start date we tend to see higher fall off rates caused by this wait time. It appears that students prefer to apply to the program and begin training immediately, and instead of waiting for the cohort to start they find the next training program that allows them to do so. We are looking for ways to keep them engaged with our program prior to the start of the cohort so we do not lose them prior to the cohort start date. | Career Coaching | Since inception, we have adopted sound programmatic approaches that feature strengths such as effective use of case management and wrap-around support services. To ensure successful completion of the training and employment placement, NCUS TEC employs Career Coaches who provide a comprehensive guidance and counseling services, support services, and follow-up. Career coaches provide a critical element of stability by being available 24/7 to students. They assist with removing barriers by referring them to additional services outlined in our supportive service elements. Before students can be successful at work, the elimination of as many barriers as possible is needed. | Job Readiness Bootcamp | Each student completes a required one week 20 hour work readiness training course facilitated by our workforce business team. The essential training will focus on workplace etiquette, labor market information, occupational skills, techniques of interviewing, personal development, resume development, leadership development, financial literacy, customer service, and reading and math literacy for the workplace. | Industry Exposure | We work with industry partners to help unveil and explain to students exactly what to expect from working in their chosen field. Through class presentations and site visits, students are exposed to a “day in the life” and understand more about what they are training to become. In addition, these employer partners support mock interview sessions and post program sessions to ensure students are immediately connected to potential future employers and employment opportunities. | Staffing: The first step would be to employ individuals who connect and engage the hardest-to-serve individuals. Much of our organizational strength and success can be attributed to our ability to motivate the hardest to serve populations in Ohio to do something different. Our entire organization adopts the mindset of “meeting the people where they are,” which includes door to door knocking, visiting barber/beauty salons, hosting popup cook outs in the community, and visiting churches on Sundays. | Initiate and maintain strong employer partnerships and investors. While students are getting the necessary training and gaining skills for employability, entering into a new industry or career is intimidating. Our employer partners help our students build the confidence they need through exposing them to what life in the industry entails, and creates connection to employment opportunities. | The program curriculum is designed to not only provide the hard skills but the soft skills needed in the industry. By consulting with industry partners as well as local unions and merit shops on what they want students to learn in the pre-employment programs, we equip participants with enough knowledge to get them started but aren't duplicating what the employer and union/merit shops are providing in their own training programs. We really are looking to get people ready for employment and help them make informed decisions as to their career track. | Kristen Muenster | |||||||
| TVA STARS | Tennessee Valley Authority | 2024-08-14 | The TVA STARS Program is a school-to-work program designed to help high school students build skills during their summer break that will help them compete in an increasingly competitive workforce. Upon completion of the program, students will have a good working knowledge of construction, facilities, and work practices used in the utility industry today, such as instrumentation, inspections, schedule/budget, and the basics in quality and environmental observations. The students who are selected to participate in the program will shadow TVA employees across organizations and will be asked to track and report out what they have learned at the end of the program. Craft union representatives may also meet with students to provide them with information on union membership in the area. Students are paid for each hour worked during the summer. Students are sourced from local high schools in Tennessee, Alabama and Kentucky. Students who maintain a high level of performance may continue the program each summer they are in high school or while attending college or trade school. In the third year of the program’s existence, TVA received 295 applications from high schools across the Tennessee valley. We were able to place 27 students at various sites, including Cumberland Fossil, Paradise Steam Plant, Tellico Dam, Kingston Fossil, Watts Bar Nuclear, Muscle Shoals Power Shop, Allen Fossil, and Johnsonville. Students are engaged in broad scopes of work, including facilities, site maintenance, office administration, project management, safety and quality observation, and power ops. Two students from the 2024 summer program landed a full-time job with TVA using this internship experience. Other students have returned from year to year and have recruited their classmates to apply for the program. From a program with only five applicants in its first year, to 295 in the third, we have grown this program from the ground up. The program's success has not gone unnoticed. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our students and TVA mentors the program gets more recognition through local unions, school counselors, and word of mouth to new people every day. This has massively contributed to the growth of our program, and it is a testament to what we do as a company. TVA’s mission is to produce affordable power to the people of the valley, and to promote a strong economy for the region. As a company, investing in our youth has never been more important. The program has injected enthusiasm into an aging workforce, as well as giving young people a chance to prove their worth and obtain a well-paying job that can train them for life. In conclusion, we believe that the STARS program has made a difference in our region, can be easily replicated in the construction industry, and can become a bridge to the workforce of the future. | Workforce Development - Skilled Craft Labor | Payroll Issues | As we began sending notices to the students accepted into the 2024 STARS Program, TVA also instituted a new Contractor Talent Portal requiring all contract personnel, from STARS students to annual hourly workers, to register online for check payment and complete an onboarding process administered by a third party, Johnson Services. This new process required completion of I-9 paperwork, background checks and drug testing, which was coordinated directly with students by Johnson Services personnel. This proved to be a hurdle to clear for our students, as many of them needed to search for medical records, Social Security numbers, and school transcripts at the end of the school term. With some of them never having needed this information before, it took an extended amount of time to complete this paperwork for a few of the students, and slowed down their ability to start work and get paid as quickly as they could have. Also, some students did not receive all of the paperwork they needed to fill out, making it partially a fault of our own. We will use this opportunity to make sure that students are informed early during the interview process of everything that they will be expected to complete prior to reporting for work and stress the importance of checking their personal email accounts daily and responding as soon as possible to any requests made by Johnson Services personnel to expedite onboarding. | Engaging Students Correctly and Sustainably | As the STARS program was launched as a pilot in 2022, this was a brand-new kind of experience for these students, as well as for our supervisors. Having never supervised high school interns before, it could at times be difficult for our supervisors to be able to provide our interns with adequate work over the whole summer to keep them engaged and learning. However, our staff has learned to adapt to the new changes and find new ways to engage the STARS students so that they can continue to push themselves in their development. One way we have done this is setting up multiple field trip opportunities and plant visits for them throughout the summer. With parental permission for students under 18, the students have had opportunities based on the region they work in to visit Raccoon Mountain, Watts Bar Nuclear, Kingston Fossil, Kentucky Dam, Wilson Dam and various TVA natural conservation sites. We have also increased our training quota to ten courses which was reviewed and approved by TVA safety personnel, and have expanded offerings into new operations group every year, starting with GP&FS, in Civil Construction, Major Projects and our Power Service Shops, to adding Facilities Maintenance in year two and by working with Power Ops in year three to help that organization create a job shadowing pilot program of their own. This gives the students different opportunities to spend time with groups that engage them best. | Outside Exposure for Recruiting | In the first year of STARS, we had no idea what this program could possibly become, or how many people would be invested and engaged with it. With this being the case, STARS was not as broadly advertised as it could have been in its first year. The applications were only sent out to five different schools, limiting our possibilities on how many students we could reach. After the initial success we had in our first year, we expanded our application umbrella to 55 high schools with some close proximity to a TVA office or plant. Since the region was still coming out of the pandemic, we also held a virtual open house session which was streamed from the TVA website and advertised to educators and parents through TVA social media accounts. This had a massive impact on the program, with over 86 students applying for positions and 24 being accepted into the program the second year. After the big 2023 year, STARS again expanded its hiring umbrella to sending letters, posters and applications to 101 schools, bringing in a whopping 295 applicants, with 27 students being placed in the program. | Tours & Different Sites | One highlight of the STARS program is the exposure that these students get to different TVA sites. One of the ways this was accomplished was through allowing students to tour different plants and sites that TVA manages. Field trip days were set up to Watts Bar Nuclear, Kingston Fossil Plant, Kentucky Dam, Ft. Loudon Dam and Raccoon Mountain Pumped Storage Facility. On these tours, students were first educated on how each plant produced power, and what safety precautions were needed upon entry to the facility. They were provided proper PPE and got to see many internal functions of the plants that the average passerby would never think of. The students were also introduced to potential career opportunities that came with each type of facility, opening the door for potential employment opportunities. There was also a tour set up for the MV Freedom in Muscle Shoals, AL. Students were able to learn about TVA’s use of tugboats and barges, how they work, and what goes into a career working on one. | STARS Graduation/ Family Days | At the end of each student’s internship, we felt that their accomplishments and hard work throughout the summer should be recognized. The work that they do is of high value of us, whether they realize it or not, and we decided to help them show all that they’ve done and realize their importance. For this, we chose to give them an end-of-the-summer send-off with a luncheon held in their names. At each student’s home site, they will host the ceremony, present a slideshow of what they each have learned throughout the summer, and accept their certificates showing that they have completed the program. In attendance of the ceremony will be whatever close family or friends they choose to invite, their supervisors, and senior managers of that department. This has been found to be an effective method in showcasing what the program is all about to upper management, and to thank the students and their families for all the work they have done throughout the summer to become an effective employee. | Daily Supervisor Reports | Making sure that these interns have an effective, busy, and enjoyable summer is one of the biggest priorities we have for this program. We decided that the best way to do this was through daily supervisor reports. At the beginning of the workday, the students will report to their supervisor for a check-in and a briefing on the work they will perform for the day. They will then attend the official pre-job brief with the group they are working with to ensure they understand the job and hazards that come with it, as well as the practices required to perform the work safely. At the end of the workday, students will come back to their supervisors, sign off on their daily sheets, and clock out. The supervisor system has worked great for this program, as the supervisors often serve as a mentor and help the students with any questions they may have about how to perform their work or further their careers. Their supervisors will also help the students set up tours or interviews to search for a job after their completion of the program. This has proved to be a very functional piece of our program, and we will continue to utilize it. | We suggest starting small and build upon your successes. It helps to first have a jobsite or task identified where it would be safe for a high school student to work and then solicit sponsorship through your management chain. Begin talking with school administrators around your job site to identify candidates for your pilot program. Then develop application materials, and your selection matrix, while completing any required legal reviews. Communicate deadlines for the application process and select your candidates' following you companies established practices, | Promote the program within your company and line up opportunities and fieldtrips to supplement the student's experience. Line up support from community colleges or technical schools to give the students tools to market their experience for future employment. Create a curriculum of safety training and any other courses which help the student understand the culture of your company, which will ensure consistency as the program grows. Begin to identify mentors and positions to be filled for the following year. Solicit feedback from program participants at the end of the summer. | Build a calendar of recruiting events and set deadlines for the following year. Continue to build partnerships within your company and celebrate success along the way. | This webpage was created to answer questions about the program for parents and educators. | Kevin Holbrook | ||||||
| Industrial Workforce Program | Southwest Indian Foundation | 2024-08-20 | Our primary goal at the Southwest Indian Foundation (SWIF) is to lessen the poverty and unemployment among the Native Americans of the Southwest. The Industrial Workforce Program (IWP) was initially started in 2019 to pave a way to success for underemployed residents of the Greater Gallup area and surrounding Native American reservations, and to facilitate economic development in the blue-collar trades. The Southwest Indian Foundation took over the program in 2021. We run three 12-week training programs per year and have graduated more than 80 students. IWP is a community development project which focuses on three pillars of individual success: job skills, professional character, and personal integrity. We understand that it takes all three of these qualities to succeed in the workplace and maintain a meaningful career. We train our students in areas such as heavy equipment operations, residential construction, welding, OSHA, and more. This includes classroom instruction through the National Center for Construction Education and Research curriculum as well as hands on job-site experience. Since its conception in 1968, SWIF has built more than 300 residential houses as well as completed many other construction projects. Our expertise and involvement in the trades allow us to provide quality training to our students and prepare them to be successful in their future careers. Additionally, we invite local businesses to partner with us and use their subject matter expertise to provide valuable input to the program curriculum and development. These partnerships allow IWP to provide the most relevant workers to the community and gives students the chance to demonstrate their value to local businesses and gain quality employment. Our students also receive training in professional development; leadership skills, group discussion, critical thinking, financial literacy, and application and interview skills are just some of the professional skills that IWP teaches. To be a reliable professional who delivers quality work requires that a person is functional in all aspects of their lives, which means you need to be healthy and financially stable, have a wholesome family life, and plan for the future. We strive to teach our students the importance and power of these qualities and to help them take ownership and implement them in their own lives. At the root of competency and professional character is personal integrity. To be enrolled in the program students must pass a comprehensive drug screening. If an applicant cannot pass the screening, they are advised of the importance of being responsible in regard to substance consumption and invited to reapply for a later course. During the course, students have many opportunities to practice and develop their integrity; they learn to be timely, responsible in class, honest and transparent with the instructors and other students, and to accept and utilize constructive criticism. IWP works to better the lives of our individual students by enhancing their job skills and developing their professional and personal character, while also providing relevant workers to the community. We are actively working to grow this program to facilitate larger classes and provide a broader range of job training. We have seen tangible results that this program provides value to the individual students and to the Greater Gallup community. | Workforce Development - Training & Retention | Industry Partners | Workforce Development MUST be led and designed by professionals who are invested and experienced in the respective trade(s). This is critical to providing REAL and RELEVANT training which will lead to quality employment for students of the program. Developing and maintaining relationships with partner companies was a huge part of the Industrial Workforce Program. Discussing Workforce Development with these entities was extremely necessary to developing a relevant program which addressed the needs of employers in the area. Partner companies have continued to provide invaluable input to the program curriculum and development as well as provide opportunities for job-site-training, and employment upon graduating from our program. | Marketing and Recruitment | Develop and implement an effective and strategic marketing plan. IWP operates in a very economically poor environment and primarily serves the Native American community. It was extremely important to develop relevant marketing which communicated the mission of the training program and attracted people who are need of the training but ALSO are high enough caliber to appreciate the training and succeed. Radio ads were extremely important to our program, as many of our students come from the reservation. We only learned this after much trial and error. The problem with radio ads is the limited amount of information you can push. Developing and implementing a website enabled us to increase our applications and as well as our visibility to potential employers and sponsors. | The Right Staff and Instructors | Not anyone can instruct and manage a workforce development program. It requires personalities that are selfless and realize that they are making an investment by helping other people improve their own lives. Instructors and staff must be aware of the cultural and social environment they are outreaching to and be willing to go above and beyond to help instill good work ethic and practices in their students. For example, IWP primarily serves Native Americans, particular members of the Navajo Nation. Alcoholism is a hug problem for this demographic. Having instructors, who can speak to this problem and give a road map for how to conquer it is incredibly important. | Industry led leadership team | Develop a leadership team of industry employers who can ensure a successful curriculum development and implementation. An effective leadership team will be the conduit between the program and local employers. Workforce Development MUST start with the needs of employers in the relevant area. This will drive the curriculum development, instructor selection, and everything else. If you do not start with an understanding of the workforce needs and constantly reassess those needs, you will fail. Employers must be aware of what you are providing. This means constant networking and marketing with employers. A good leadership team of industry professionals will be critical to analyzing the needs of local employers, developing the program to suit those needs, and finally marketing with those employers to ensure successful job placement. | Measurable and attainable program data and tracking | Being able to evaluate whether or not the program is successful is a critical aspect of workforce development. This will affect marketing, funding, recruitment (both student and instructors), and many other important factors. You must develop a system to track relevant data from your program, e.g., number of applicants, applicant demographics, number of graduates, job placement, wage increase post program. Identify attainable realistic goals over a time period; number of graduates per class/year, number of job placements, etc. This will ensure that you can prove the program success. adjust goals as needed/appropriate after analyzing data. | Identify the need. There must be a REASON to develop a new program. This reason must be clearly evident and backed up. For example, if employers aren't commenting on the lack of a quality workforce, then they might already have what they need. The problem will determine the solution. Curriculum, marketing, partnerships, fundraising, job placement, etc. are all derived from the initial problem. | Establish industry partners and identify a training venue. Workforce Development MUST be industry led. It is NOT an academic exercise and cannot be solved by people behind computers. Real training can only be developed and taught by real craftsmen and industry experts. Find partners who see the real need from Step one and are willing to provide their subject matter expertise. Network within the community to identify a realistic venue for conducting training. If you don't have a venue, you can't train. | Find funding and staff. Work with your partner companies to network your training plan and find the necessary funding. Potential sources of funding are community grants, DOL grants, company donations. Be creative about how to cut costs of the program. Once you find funding, hire the necessary staff and execute! | Industrial Workforce Program website and application portal | Southwest Indian Foundation website | Tom Macik | |||||||
| PBI Steel Training Academy | Peterson Beckner Industries (PBI) | 2024-08-23 | Since 1936 PBI has specialized in the construction of large, heavy, and complex structures requiring unique construction engineering talents including hi-rise towers, chemical processing, Petro-chem facilities, power plants, steel mills, sports venues, hospitals, bridges, and other challenging projects. All the projects we pursue present a high-risk scope of work and require thorough safety planning and execution to achieve our Goal of Zero accidents and Zero Injuries. We operate successfully throughout the Southeast, Southwest, and Midwest regions of the United Sates. In today's competitive construction industry, being a premier steel erector presents numerous challenges and demands for highly skilled leaders. The construction industry is constantly evolving, and companies like PBI must adapt their strategies to stay ahead of the competition. With a growing need for effective leadership and skilled workers, individuals who possess the skills required to excel in this role are highly sought after. The PBI Steel Training Academy was designed with the idea to build up quality leaders and promote from within from the inside and then outside of our organization. Our training program aims to capture every aspect from the beginning stages of Recruitment to more in-depth trainings in Leadership and Development. Leaders in today’s times must be proficient in managing teams, coordinating complex projects, and navigating the ever-changing landscape of technological advancements and it is our goal to build a one-of-a-kind state of the art training institute for our industry. In order to ensure the success of construction projects, it is crucial to identify and train the next generation of leaders who are equipped with the necessary skills to excel in their roles while shaping them to become the future industry leaders in steel construction. By implementing the BambooHR (HRIS) and Talent LMS systems within our organization, PBI has been able to launch a successful online training program through the advancement of technology and automation systems. This system bridges the gap and between the office and field operations teams at multi-site locations. From this system integration we have been successful at building the PBI Training Academy not only to our staff but our future employees as well. We now have the ability to link Human Resources, Safety, Quality Control, Employee Trainings, Health and Wellness, and so much more to one centralized location. The PBI Training Academy offers our employees the opportunity to grow not only in skillset but also in the areas of leadership development. With an ever-evolving BambooHR platform, our training program is expected to grow beyond what we as a company can even begin to imagine as the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to evolve in our world. The Power of Technology In today's digital age, technology has become a fundamental tool for revolutionizing the construction industry. By harnessing the power of technology, the PBI Steel Training Academy has streamlined our internal processes and procedures, optimized resource allocation, and dramatically improved overall productivity. By implementing these automated systems and controls through BambooHR and Talent LMS, we have been able to minimize errors, improve accuracy, and enhance overall efficiency. Meeting the Challenges of Uncertainty In times of uncertainty such as a global pandemic (COVID), the construction industry was often faced with challenges that were not easily overcome. However, it was during this time that our organization came to realize the importance of having the necessary technology and automation systems that would thrive during such challenging times. These systems allowed us to utilize the document management systems, employee self-service portals, and remote work solutions effectively and efficiently so that our construction teams were able to continue to operate seamlessly, even when we are physically distant from one another. By harnessing the power of technology and automation systems, we are continuously streamlining our internal processes, optimizing resource allocations, improving productivity, and meeting the evolving demands of our industry. The overall mission of the PBI Steel Training Program is to teach, train, and equip our workforce team from entry level to senior management in the areas of communication, problem-solving, adaptability, teamwork, and risk management. By focusing on these concentrated areas, our program is readily prepared for our future workforce team and building successful leaders within the construction industry. Through this combination of online training and hands-on experience, we aim to develop leaders who are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to continuously excel in their roles and contribute to the success of our current and future project operations. | Workforce Development - Image & Recruiting | How Does a Workforce Thrive in the Steel Construction Industry During a Global Pandemic | PBI had the foresight to provide our critical staff members with laptop computers and VPN connectivity, enabling them to work from home during the pandemic. This preparation proved invaluable, as the symptoms of COVID-19 were often short-lived compared to the required number of days away from work. Our support administration rallied and successfully managed payroll and critical administrative functions within the given time-frame. Recognizing the need to exploit the capabilities of Bamboo HR and other software solutions, our team implemented these systems to enable our workforce to work from home. These efforts recently paid off, when Houston experienced a hurricane and power outages, preventing our support staff from coming into the office. Despite the challenges posed by the natural disaster, we were able to leverage technology and power generators supplied to our key staff members to maintain our support for our craft working in the field. By embracing technology and adapting to unforeseen circumstances, PBI demonstrated our ability to overcome obstacles and deliver critical services even in challenging situations. This experience highlighted the importance of being proactive and investing in the necessary tools and capabilities to ensure the ongoing success of our operations. We have gained valuable insight to the importance of having the right systems in place when we lack the in-person manpower to get the essential jobs done when time is critical. People are our greatest asset but there will always be a time when our assets may be unattainable when life happens and we are unable to control the outcomes. | How to Recruit and Retain a Workforce in Steel Construction During a Global Pandemic | Recruiting for jobs in other states became a critical concern for PBI. Being a leading organization in various industries, we recognized the growing importance of recruiting talent from out-of-state locations. With the expansion of its operations across different states, the company faced the challenge of finding qualified individuals who were willing to travel. To address these concerns, PBI established a dedicated Recruiting Department solely focused on identifying and attracting suitable candidates for out-of-state jobs. The Recruiting Department was formed with the intention of becoming a crucial aspect of PBI's operations. With a specific focus on identifying individuals who were willing to relocate, the recruiting department played a pivotal role in ensuring the smooth functioning of the company's operations. By bringing together a team of professionals skilled in talent acquisition, the department was able to streamline the hiring process and locate candidates who possessed the necessary qualifications and were willing to travel for work. The responsibilities of the Recruiting Department were not limited to simply filling open positions. They actively sought out talented individuals who could enhance the company's capabilities and contribute to its success. The department focused on building a talent pool that could be tapped when opportunities arose in other states. This proactive approach allowed PBI to respond quickly to changing business needs and maintain a competitive edge in the market. Over time, the Recruiting Department has solidified its role as an integral part of PBI's operations. It has become a crucial component of the company's overall talent acquisition strategy, providing a steady stream of qualified individuals who are not only willing to travel but bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the workplace. This diversity of talent has enriched PBI's operations and fostered innovation and creativity within the organization. In summary, the recruitment of out-of-state talent for PBI became a critical concern, and the company responded by establishing a dedicated recruiting department. This department continues to play a crucial role in operations, identifying and attracting qualified candidates from different states. By leveraging its expertise in talent acquisition, PBI remains agile and capable of meeting the ongoing staffing needs of the Recruiting Department. | How Does A Company Keep There Workforce Emotionally, Physically, and Financially Stable in the Steel Construction Industry During a Global Pandemic | The benefits experienced by crafts who took on the challenge of the pandemic became evident as they were on the road, away from home, and had to take care of both their own needs as well as their families. PBI, recognizing the importance of their well-being, paid their per diem and granted them time away from work. In order to maintain a healthy and productive workplace, PBI continues to follow this practice as it recognizes how important it is to maintain a healthy and productive workforce. PBI has also implemented various initiatives to promote physical and mental well-being, such as providing employees with access to mental health resources and offering flexible working hours. PBI has also implemented a wellness program that encourages employees to make healthy lifestyle choices. Additionally, PBI provides employees with opportunities for professional development and growth. PBI also offers employees access to exclusive discounts and offers from local businesses and service providers. The company also hosts regular social events to foster a sense of community among staff. Employees have access to a variety of health and wellness resources, including access to online fitness programs, yoga and fitness classes, and health and wellness advice. PBI has a comprehensive employee assistance program that provides employees with confidential advice and support on a range of issues. Employees are also encouraged to volunteer in the community. PBI also offers an employee rewards system to recognize employees for their hard work and dedication. Employees are also given generous vacation and sick leave. PBI also provides flexible working hours and remote working options for employees needing special accommodations. PBI offers competitive wages and benefits. | Employers Should Utilize Efficient Tools and Resources For Properly Tracking Employee Training Records | By utilizing QR codes printed on each employee's hard hat and personal identification badge, field personnel can determine what an employee is qualified to perform in the field immediately. This is achieved by scanning the QR code on the employee's badge or hard hat. As a result of scanning the code, the foreman has immediate access to a photograph, training, and expiration dates for training. The purpose of this is to ensure that no employee performs a task for which they are not qualified. Aside from verifying an employee's job qualification immediately, the QR code system can also be utilized by management for assigning and tracking employee training. You can accomplish this through the use of emails. This allows management to assign specific training to an employee and track their progress towards completion. It is not necessary for employees to be present on the job site or at the office in order to complete this training. As long as they have access to the Internet, they can complete the training from anywhere in the world. Both field personnel and management can benefit from the QR code system. This system allows for the quick and easy verification of an employee's qualifications and ensures that only trained personnel perform specific duties. By assigning and tracking training via email, management can assign relevant training to individuals and track their progress. This eliminates the need for physical paperwork and allows for greater flexibility when it comes to completing training. In conclusion, utilizing QR codes printed for each employee's hard hat and a personal ID badge, enables field personnel to determine immediately what an employee is qualified to do in the field. Additionally, the QR code system enables management to assign and track training for individuals via email. This eliminates the need for physical paperwork and provides flexibility in training completion. Overall, the QR coding system enhances the efficiency and safety of the work environment by verifying job qualifications and ensuring trained personnel are performing specific tasks. | Employers Should Have A System Restore Backup Plan When Using Cloud Computing Technology | According to the Economic Times News, the recent Microsoft global outage is the biggest technology failure in history. As a result of this incident, many services were disrupted, including bank operations, airline operations, and major IT firms throughout the United States. The cause of this massive tech breakdown has been the subject of much speculation, with various theories circulating as to what led to this failure. However, regardless of the specific causes, this incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of having a System Backup and Restore Plan (Operation System Backup and Restore) in place. Companies that utilize cloud-based software should take note and be proactive in protecting company data. With the growing threat of internet phishing and scams, it is best practice to never put all your eggs in one basket. In managing and controlling data, it should never be assumed that our technology is the sole source. At PBI, we have experienced some of the risks associated with relying solely on technology and have implemented a robust System Backup and Restore Plan. This plan was developed by our dedicated IT Committee Team Members to safeguard our company's data. By implementing this comprehensive strategy, we ensure that we can recover from any data loss or disruption, minimizing any potential impact on our business operations. | Employers Should Hire Systems Administrators To Handle Troubleshooting Issues Relating To Cloud Computing Technology | Employees can spend a great deal of time attempting to resolve technology issues with the System Support Teams. These issues may impact the productivity of the workforce, cause delays in projects, or even cause internal conflict. It is true that technology can greatly streamline your internal processes and procedures, but these systems may occasionally encounter bugs. In order to ensure the best practices are being implemented, employers should employ a System Administrator to handle the day-to-day maintenance of their systems. | If another industry stakeholder wants to initiate a similar program within their organization, the first step is to analyze and assess the specific needs of your company. There is no one size fits all; you must do the leg work and that involves working from the bottom to the top. Stakeholders should conduct confidential employee surveys to better understand how your employees are feeling about their jobs and future with the company to best determine the areas in your organization requiring rooms for improvement. By doing this for a period of time, stakeholders may discover some unwelcoming trends or patterns systematically that need to be addressed immediately. | The second step to replicating this program is to partner up with an established user such as PBI mentor you and provide feedback throughout the implementation process. Although BambooHR and Talent LMS offers us a great support team, there time and availability may be limited during peak times or seasons. Since most platforms are moving away from in person training by offering webinars or video library trainings there is no substitution for learning from one-on-one person. Shadowing another user is highly recommended before launching the new system and allows you to thorough notes and ask relevant questions along the training process. | The third step is to publicly announce the new program at least 30-days prior to doing a soft implementation launch. You must be prepared to answer all questions that may arise. By doing this, you test the waters and allow room to make any necessary adjustments to the new program. Let employees know the system will be rolled out any phases (i.e. Phase 1 – Welcome to BambooHR email, Phase 2 – BambooHR New User Training). Each phase should be well thought out and written before launching the new program. Sometimes change doesn’t always go over well with seasoned employees and you may face a great deal of resistance in the beginning. You must stay on course and remain committed to the vision by preparing yourself for all the unexpected occurrences including system sabotage. | With TalentLMS and its revamped and modern interface, you can create a course and add content seamlessly from the Instructor’s role as well as through the Administrator’s role. | You can easily import and export data to and from your TalentLMS portal from the Account & Settings page of your Administrator dashboard. | TalentLMS lets you automate course assignment and user management by using Automations, a series of specific actions which are triggered by specific events according to your specified parameters. | TalentLMS lets you assign new courses to users based on their latest course scores. This allows you to personalize their training according to their knowledge gaps and learning goals. | TalentLMS provides the ability to upload a video as a course preview. This means that users who are viewing the course in the course catalog will be able to see this uploaded video as they would see the course description and course content. | David Hales |