Strategy and Strength for Construction Talent

It is our responsibility as BIA members to promote this effort for workforce development as well. We need to work together to promote educating early and often to young people, as well as adults, about the opportunities that are available to them in making a career in the residential construction business. Kudos to Maronda Homes for working with Southwestern City Schools career specialist, Dawn Weaver, teacher Bret Busby and vendors. They collaboratively put together a program that involved building a small house in the classroom, taking the kids on job site tours to show them all stages of construction, and then having vendors present to provide contact information for those kids interested in employment opportunities.

Doug House is a BIA Foundation member and Chair of Construction & Skilled Trades Pathway at Columbus State College. The program offers education in traditional trades, as well as emerging technologies such as geographic information systems and sustainable building. Degrees and certificates in the Pathway program lead to careers in carpentry, electrical trades, plumbing, welding, HVAC, landscaping and other fields.

The BIA Workforce and Development Council has been focusing their efforts on establishing relationships with local high schools and career centers because of the new ODE changes. Several of the career schools do have adult programs, and this year they are hoping to gain more access to adults looking to transition to new careers or re-entering the job market in our area. They continue to build relationships with Educational Service Center of Central Ohio (ESCCO) and believe they should be able to create another pathway for our members to gain employable adults.

The BIA Foundation last year donated $30,000 to Franklinton Rising for the At-Risk Young adult program. They teach a nationally recognized Introduction to the Building Trades program including OSHA 10; plus, they teach life skills to help prepare their trainees for participating as an adult in the marketplace. They pay their trainees on a part-time basis, a graduated pay rate for the learning and work they do in their houses under the direction of their Director of Training/ Construction and/or partner contractors who desire to “give back” and help mentor, train and work on their houses. Individual trainees, depending upon their background, will work with them on one to three houses before being ready for fulltime employment.

The question is, how can your business contribute to this effort? Take some time and give it some thought. These are just a few of the organizations that can help you and your teams get started. You can also reach out to our Workforce Development Council for the relationships they are cultivating. It is an opportunity not just to give back, but to help solve a much-needed problem in growing our workforce and meeting the needs of your customer.

JON MELCHI BIA Executive Director