SPECIALTY CONTRACTORS MARKET FOCUS


tion and industry workforce development efforts. “We’re doing whatever we can to be in-


volved,” Bykoski added. He has personally addressed student chapters and is a vocal advocate for the advantages of working in the specialty market sector. “As specialties, we actually build stuff,” he said. “Some people think of subs as all small, mom and pop companies. But EMCOR is bigger than a lot of the larger GCs, with offices across the world. There are a lot of oppor- tunities here.”


Technology’s Impact on the Specialty Market While the workforce shortage may or


B. T. Mancini performed the exterior building skin work for UC Berkeley’s Helios Building. Photo courtesy B. T. Mancini.


Specialty Contractor (continued from page 7)


program to help with the very specialized skill sets needed by its management and supervision.


Search for Solutions Some of the other solutions and re-


sources AGC specialty contractor mem- bers have turned to include:


 AGC’s Construction Education Foundation (CEF). The AGC Foun- dation has put the spotlight on develop- ing the next generation workforce at all levels, from young people to the pro- fessional worker. “I think AGC’s focus in the last few years on developing the next generation of industry profession- als is great,” commented Cowan. “Their focus on CLC (Construction Leader- ship Council), student chapters, and more has helped not only the industry, but our own company.”


 ACE Mentor, Helmets to Hard- hats, union recruiting programs, and more. These programs, and a va- riety of others, actively focus on grow- ing the industry workforce at different levels.


8 March/April 2015 Whatever avenue chosen, one thing is


assured: it will take a concentrated effort involving all segments of the industry to bridge the workforce gap and meet future needs. “That’s one reason we’re involved with


the AGC Construction Education Foun- dation so much,” said Cory Bykoski, who recently accepted the Foundation’s first Outstanding Specialty Contractors Mem- ber award on behalf of his company, Dy- nalectric/KDC Systems, An EMCOR Com- pany. Dynalectric was recognized for its significant contribution to AGC’s Founda-


may not have personally impacted every AGC specialty contractor or GC to date, few have failed to experience the impact of changing technology. A virtual tsunami of new technology has transformed how construction is done compared to even a decade or two ago. From widespread use of tablets on project sites and electronic plans and specs to cloud computing, the growth of BIM and paperless jobsites, technology has quickened the pace of many projects – while also raising expectations for faster response times. For many, the wave of new technology


has been a double-edged sword. “Technology is impacting us in many


positive and significant as well as a few not so positive ways,” commented Rosen- din Electric’s Corporate Director of BIM Services, Fred Meeske. “From a positive aspect, we have greater ability to see the process and challenges associated with it well in advance of construction,” he said. “Historical data and lessons learned can be shared. We can compare best practices and alternative methods to improve time and/ or costs to the project. We can standardize our processes more efficiently, allowing for needed changes before, during and after construction.” Conversely, the rapid influx of


so


Marina Landscape performed landscape and irrigation work on the Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC). The company won an AGC of California Constructor award for the project in 2014. Photo courtesy Marina Landscape


many new software technologies into the market has created interoperability chal- lenges, Meeske noted. “Coupled with to- day’s just-in-time marketplace, it creates a perfect storm due to the lack of time to work through these subtle differences in advance of construction or design.” The result: potentially negative


impacts on


business operations, design planning, and project flow.


California Constructor


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