President’s Message

Kevin Pegram 2023 GBA President

Workforce development is one of the greatest challenges our industry has faced over the past decade and continues today with an increasing shortage of skilled labor.

Our Construction Careers initiative has been involved working with area schools to promote career opportunities within the construction industry. This has included classroom and jobsite visits, career fairs, job shadowing and internships, participating with Skills USA, as well as partnering with Junior Achievement to host a Construction Academy for 8th graders.

We need to expand on these initiatives by providing financial support and scholarships for construction skills training. In developing an annual scholarship program with sustainable funding sources, our goal is to attract students, young adults, and others with financial support to obtain the skilled training needed to pursue careers in construction.

Construction Careers Scholarship Endowment Fund

Our Board of Directors has approved the formation of a Construction Careers Scholarship Endowment fund. Endowment money will be restricted and held in a Construction Careers Scholarship Fund within the GBA Benefit Trust – a 501c3 charitable trust. Only interest and gains on the endowment principal will be used to provide scholarships.

So, here’s where we need your participation. We need industry members to serve on two task forces that are being formed this summer to develop and advance this initiative.

•Scholarship Endowment Fund: This group will focus on securing the financial resources needed to develop, manage, and grow the endowment fund, including corporate donations and special fund-raising events such as the fall Construction Careers CASINO Night.

• Scholarship Program: This group will develop and administer all aspects of the scholarship program from establishing scholarship criteria and the application process, to the selection and awards of the scholarships. This committee will work closely with area schools, colleges and workforce development organizations to market and promote the scholarship program. Our goal is to award scholarships in 2024.

I encourage you to consider joining this initiative as we all benefit from promoting and growing our workforce. Students and adults need to be aware of the tremendous opportunities within construction. As an industry, we have a great story to share and need your help in promoting the value and growth opportunities associated with construction careers.

Reach out to myself, Will Yearns or Cheryl Collins, for additional information and to be included on our Construction Careers planning team and/or one of the two task forces being formed to develop our scholarship initiative this year.