EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT


programs in Alabama’s two-year colleges posed an early obstacle to turning students’ interest into action. “We were missing the education components,” he said. “We had to convince the colleges that there was a demand for this kind of training.” Te promised demand has since


Since its founding in 2000,


AGC CEF has worked to develop and strengthen the professionalism and effectiveness of individuals in the construction industry. “We are extremely proud to bring Go Build to California,” said George Bradshaw, 2018 Chair, CEF Board of Directors. “Te success seen in other state campaigns that have launched Go Build is tremendous. Partnering with Go Build advances our [AGC CEF] mission to another level.”


Program History & Track Record


While such plaudits have heralded


other industry-wide awareness programs, Go Build boasts something that most of those initiatives lacked: a track record. Go Build was initially conceived


and launched in Alabama in 2010, led by Woods, a 40-year veteran of construction services for regional energy provider Southern Co. Te program was a result of broad- based coalition of trade associations, educators, users, contractors and the state in an effort to craft a campaign tailored around Alabama’s specific industry needs and demographics. Using the strategic placement of mass media advertising and social media, complemented by support from local educators and associations, Go Build Alabama continually conveyed positive messages about construction careers while also directing students and job seekers to the multitude of training opportunities across the state. Woods noted that while the


messages had a significant impact, a shortage of technical education


www.AGC-CA.org


materialized, leading to the addition of more than 120 credentialed training programs and a 24 percent increase in course enrollments across Alabama. In addition, more than half those students credit Go Build Alabama for influencing their pursuit of a career in construction, providing what Woods said is evidence that the strategy is working.


Replicating a Successful Rollout


As interest in Go Build grew


and the supply and demand problem continued to plague the industry, Woods and his team received calls from other states interested in repli- cated the Alabama effort. “Go Build Alabama served a pilot program that we sought to expand upon as far as we could in order to help our industry,” he explained. Go Build Tennessee, established in 2016 and funded via a portion of state contractor licensing fees, garnered more than 70 million advertising, website and social media impressions in its first year alone. Here in California, AGC CEF began rolling out Go Build in May 2017. Now in its second year in


Tennessee, Go Build is already making an impact on the next gener- ation, according to Toby Compton, President of the Associated Builders and Contractors’ Tennessee Chapter. His association’s training program saw peak enrollment this year with 330 students. Although it’s too soon to analyze Go Build’s impact on the workforce, Tommy Burleson, chairman and CEO of Burleson Construction Co., Johnson City, Tenn., said the program contributed to a strong turnout at a construction job fair this year. “We had more about 5,000


high school students – many of them women – who wanted to learn more about trade careers,” he said. “It’s allowed us to show schools just how much demand there is for this kind of training and what contractors can do to help.”


Program Tools Besides addressing the construction


industry’s long-term workforce outlook, Go Build California hopes to provide relief for contractors with immediate skilled-labor needs via a database for incumbent workers in search of jobs. Similarly, Go Build California partner and sponsor organizations can post immediate job openings and receive résumés from those seeking work across the country. Dwyer said the feature improves


upon online job boards because, like Go Build California’s messaging strategy, users can narrow their interests and searches to specific skill requirements or geographic areas throughout the state. “It’s not nearly as cumbersome to use as typical job-posting sites, making it the shortest path to securing work,” he added.


Te website will also feature a


variety of resources for students, parents and for educators and career counselors to utilize in the classroom, at career fairs and in conversations about the trades.


Industry-Wide Solution What may ultimately make the


difference in Go Build California’s efforts to secure a talent for the future is sustained support from partners at the, state and local levels. Both staff


Associated General Contractors of California 9


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