EVERYBODY BUILDS

EVERYBODY BUILDS

BY DOROTHY SMITH, MANAGER OF OPERATIONS AND STRATEGY | EVERYBODY BUILDS

Transforming Philadelphia's Construction Landscape: Everybody Builds Leading the Way

In our bustling city of Philadelphia, the construction industry is undergoing a transformation led by Everybody Builds, a nonprofit organization with a mission to diversify the construction sector and foster sustainable growth among diverse businesses and workers. In collaboration with the city's major contractors, developers, anchor institutions, and trade unions and associations, Everybody Builds is charting a course that aligns market opportunities with the goal of preparing a diverse workforce and contractor community to play a substantial role in the city's growth.

Pioneering DEI in Construction

Everybody Builds emerged from a crucial recognition of the longstanding underrepresentation in Philadelphia's construction Industry. The organization is propelled by a critical mission—to create equitable and accessible pathways to quality careers and growth opportunities for diverse individuals and businesses, creating a workforce and contractor community that mirrors the rich demographics of the city.

Recent data underscores the existing disparities in the construction industry, with 87.3% of construction workers being white and 89.1% male nationwide. These trends are mirrored in Philadelphia. In Philly, the median income for white households is significantly higher - $32,000 and $33,000 more than that of black and Latino households, respectively. In a city whose population is 43% black and 16.1% Hispanic or Latino as of 2022, these disparities are staggering. Diversification in the construction industry is urgent. A diverse union construction workforce could play a pivotal role in reducing economic disparities along racial lines, given the average hourly wage for construction workers in Philadelphia is $30.50/hr with many of the skilled trades making upwards of $60/hr.

The current workforce is approaching retirement so there is a need to build the construction workforce pipeline for the next generation of skilled trades workers and businesses. In addition, with billions of dollars in construction projected for Philly over the next 10-15 years, it is vital to grow and build diverse contractor businesses as there are few diverse businesses and existing businesses don’t have the capacity to meet the demand.

A Collaborative Approach: Uniting Stakeholders

What sets Everybody Builds apart is its commitment to a collaborative ethos. The initiative acts as a unifying force, bringing together a diverse array of stakeholders, including anchor institutions, developers, large GCs & CMs, subcontractors, Diverse businesses, labor unions, and community and business support organizations. The roster of partners includes major institutions such as CHOP, GBCA, Gilbane, the Bellwether District, LF Driscoll, the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council, Penn Medicine, the 76ers, Turner, and many more.

This collaborative approach is a strategic imperative. Recognizing and addressing the multifaceted challenges in the construction industry demands a collective effort. By fostering collaboration, we endeavor to create a more robust, interconnected ecosystem that can effectively address the intricacies of the construction industry and of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Building a Strong Foundation: Milestones, Impact, & Looking Ahead

Since formally launching in January 2023, Everybody Builds has achieved significant milestones in executive leadership, fundraising, governance, stakeholder and diverse contractor engagement, and workforce. Based on industry feedback, Everybody Builds has prioritized workforce development, with the overarching workforce goal being to increase diverse workers entering union apprenticeship, providing family-sustaining wages, and thereby lifting not only families but communities out of generational poverty. Efforts are underway to secure additional funding to expand the team and capacity, enabling the implementation of an innovative, individualized program for Diverse Contractors, set to kick-off in early 2024.

Key Areas of Focus:

1. Broadening Access Pipelines:

Everybody Builds is working to widen the doors to preapprenticeship and apprenticeship programs, raising program awareness and recruitment to reach diverse communities. Everybody Builds is focused on increasing awareness of existing entry points and has partnered with several trades unions and programs, such as: Carpenters’ Apprentice Ready Program (CARP), Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, Finishing Trades Institute, IBEW Local 98’s Rosie’s Girls, Laborers District Council, Sam Staten Sr. PreApprenticeship Program, Women in Nontraditional Careers (WINC), and the list is growing. Everybody Builds has leveraged community partnerships and connections to host two Pre-Apprenticeship Recruitment Information sessions with over 60 registrants and a Construction Trades Fair with over 10 partner programs and 100 attendees.

2. Supporting Diverse Workers' Journey:

Everybody Builds is working to eliminate barriers and increase program completion rates and matriculation into union apprenticeship for diverse workers. Some of the major activities to date include: Supported 75 pre-apprentices and 38 girls with job readiness and learning tools such as work boots, tool belts, work gloves, Chromebooks for online learning, and other job readiness tools; Launched a Focus Group with 20 first-year apprentices to understand needs and effectively create wrap around support services; And hosted two Construction Trades Employment Events engaging 10+ Trade and workforce partners. These soldout events were attended by over 100 people ranging from community members, (pre-)apprentices, contractors, diverse subs, developers, anchors, trade associations, elected officials, and partner & community organizations, etc. Everybody Builds also hosted two Trade Program Open Houses for contractors, resulting in two fifth-year apprentices elevated to management level positions and recently, coordinated two Construction Job Site Visits for 24 pre-apprentices, a vital component of workforce programming that allows participants to move from theory to practice.

3. Mentorship & Industry Engagement

To ensure retention, continued professional development, and the preparation of highly qualified apprentices for longterm success, Everybody Builds is set to pilot and implement a mentorship program in 2024.

4. Diverse Contractor Outreach & Engagement

Everybody Builds has established a robust Strategic Advisory Board comprising of Anchor Institutions, Developers, major GCs & CMs, and Diverse contractors. This board aims to use their collective experience to make a lasting impact through their commitment to share construction project pipelines and make ongoing project opportunities accessible to diverse contractors. In addition, Everybody Builds has engaged over 40 diverse contractors, built out the core vision of an innovative Diverse Contractor Program, is establishing partnerships with financial institutions, and plans to kick off the program in early 2024.

Conclusion: Everybody Builds—A Beacon for DEI in Philadelphia

Everybody Builds has emerged as a vessel for collaboration and lasting change, guiding Philadelphia's construction industry toward a future that authentically mirrors the diverse tapestry of Philadelphia and setting a precedent for the broader construction industry to follow suit.