WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING


The CEF Workforce Pipeline – Getting Talent To and Through A Career In Construction


By Jordan Powell, Workforce Development Manager


workforce development. CEF under- stands that this commitment signifies a continuum of effort. It’s not simply enough to get new talent TO the industry, nor is enough to develop current industry talent on their journey through their careers. Rather, the commitment to workforce development starts well before a career begins and doesn’t end until the retirement party. In the same light, CEF has focused on supporting development of all entry points to the construction industry, skilled and specialized talent. Te first step in the pipeline is


T


to get youth TO construction, to highlight the vast opportunity that exists in construction, to show off our industry in order to engage youth. It’s not a billboard. It’s an on-ramp. In September, CEF partnered with the Sacramento Regional Builders Exchange Education Foundation to host more than 1,500 high school students from Career Technical


he AGC Construction Education Foundation (CEF) is committed to being an industry leader in


Training (CTE) programs across Northern California at Sacramento Trades Day. Tis wasn’t just a day out of school for these future foremen, but an exploration of the multitude of possibilities that lie in a field they’ve already been exposed to in school. AGC member companies 3M


Building & Construction, Granite Construction, Hensel Phelps, Independent Construction, Manson Construction, Otto Construction, Pacific Coast Building Products, Royal Electric, Swinerton, Teichert and Turner Construction joined more than 20 other exhibitors to show these students what a career in the trades can really look like. Exhibitors were challenged to step up and make this more than a trick-or-treat, flier grabbing expo, to turn it into an inter- active and exciting exhibit space. With heavy machinery, drones, Building Industry Modeling (BIM) simulations, virtual reality goggles and dozens of other creative, hands-on demonstra- tions, they answered the call. Te students arrived at Cal Expo


in Sacramento in shifts, greeted first by a welcome orientation, safety briefing and stretch and flex. Tey then


Teichert was one of more than 20 exhibitors at Sacramento Trades Day.


Royal Electric booth at the Sacramento Trades Day in September.


proceeded into the exhibit space where they took full advantage of their two hour shifts to see, touch, and learn all the exhibitors had to offer. As they made their way through the expo of general contractors, subcon- tractors, and specialty contractors, labor partners and training programs, they got a full sense of the incredible opportunity for growth that lie in this industry. Training programs engaged students in active demonstrations that highlighted the vital nature of their craft and explained the methods of entry. Sacramento Trades Day was a


successful collaboration across the industry to build and develop our future talent. Engaging high school youth in support of careers in the skilled trades is a critical component to the development of industry future workforce. Tere’s no single answer to


developing the future talent for the construction industry, nor is there a single approach or effort that is going to fill every opening with skilled, qualified, model candidates. However, with programs like Sacramento Trades Day and others, CEF remains committed to a multi-faceted approach, to developing skilled tradespeople and specialized talent, to developing a pipeline to get and support talent TO and THROUGH the construction industry. 


12 November/December 2018 California Constructor


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