Construction: A career you can build on!

Vermont Business Magazine, Jul 01, 2004

Construction may hold the key to everything you hope for in a future career. Construction companies offer good (even great) income potential! The industry has an abundance of options and opportunities! There are numerous good employment prospects right out of high school. This is a wonderful opportunity to put a college education to good use.

By the year 2005 the US Department of Labor estimates that the construction industry will hire over 1 million new workers! More than 6 million people work in the construction industry - making it one of the nation's largest industries. Opportunities abound for people with all kinds of skills, talents, and educational backgrounds.

Construction is a very rewarding career and provides an excellent income, pension and hospitalization plan. Construction has something to offer at every level. Whether it be working right out of high school at an onthe-job apprenticeship or putting that college degree to work.

Construction is a big industry. It takes lots of people doing lots of different kinds of jobs to build things like bridges, skyscrapers, buildings, and highways. These types of jobs are unlikely to ever be replaced by technology: bricklayer, engineer, foreman, estimator, electrician, heavy equipment operator, laborer, plumber, roofer, superintendent, welder, surveyor, painters and many more (three cheers for people power!).

According to various surveys and trade association reports, workforce development is one of the greatest concerns facing contractors today. Not only are construction companies confronted with the challenge of obtaining and training current employees, but they are also concerned about who will fill the shoes of the aging workforce (the average age of the construction worker today being 53 years old) after they retire in the next ten to fifteen years.

AGC of Vermont in February 2003 amended their by laws to include a Workforce Development Committee as a standing committee chaired by Don Wells, owner of DEW Construction. Before that it was only recognized as a taskforce. Don was instrumental in the strategic plan of '04 to include a full time position for Workforce Development.

In January 2004 Beth Hulbert was hired as Workforce Development Director. One of Beth's main focuses is serving Vermont's 18 Technical Centers, helping to connect those students involved with: carpentry, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, pre-engineering, welding, truck/diesel and building technology programs to AGC's members.

In addition to the training and educational programs, AGC of Vermont has implemented other initiatives to help develop a future workforce. Currently we are awarding four scholarships sponsored by the association to assist those college bound students from Vermont who are pursuing construction degrees.

The chapter is also taking part in the AGC of America Build Up! and On Site! Program-a complete teach curriculum intended to enhance the image of the construction industry and meet future workforce needs through integrated math, science and community-oriented projects for fifth through ninth graders. These programs are helping to answer the question: How will we create the excitement and enthusiasm needed to attract quality workers to build the buildings, roads and bridges of tomorrow? These construction "tool kits" are designed to inform and educate our youngsters, their parents and teachers about the career opportunities in construction.

It's important for us to access the needs of the industry and the needs of the students which we hope to appeal to too bring into the industry. In the past we have failed to realize the future needs of the successful applicant. If a large portion of the students are not told of the future possibilities of a career in construction we will miss it once again. Construction, a career you can build on ... a career we're hoping to be for you.

For more information regarding this article contact Beth Hulbert at Associated General Contractors of Vermont, Montpelier. Phone: 802223-2374; e-mail: beth@agcvt.org