PartnersINProgress SMACNA & SMART—Building a Future Together
June 2021
Lifting together. What next?
PartnersINProgress SMACNA & SMART—Building a Future Together
JOSEPH SELLERS, JR. ANGELA SIMON Co-Publishers KAARIN ENGELMANN editor@pinpmagazine.org Editor-in-Chief
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JESSICA KIRBY jkirby@pointonemedia.com Editor
CONTENTS
POINT ONE MEDIA INC. artdept@pointonemedia.com Creative Services
3 LEADERSHIP, CREATIVITY, AND RESILIENCE The perfect recipe for a strong partnership begins with these three
Partners in Progress is a publication of the Sheet Metal Industry LaborManagement Cooperation Fund.
4 75 YEARS LATER: THE SMACNA & SMART PARTNERSHIP
All contents ©2021 by the Sheet Metal Industry Labor-Management Cooperation Fund, P.O. Box 221211, Chantilly, VA 20153-1211.
6 LARGE SCALE PARTNERSHIIP T.H. Martin and Local 33 are the perfect team for the city of Cleveland’s
Find Partners in Progress online at pinp.org or at issuu.com/ partnersinprogress. An archive of all issues is available and printed copies may be ordered for a minimal fee.
June 2021 - Volume 15, Number 6
ingredients.
What now? What next? SMACNA and SMART have some great resources available for establishing and strengthening partnerships into the future.
largest project in two decades.
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COME TOGETHER, RIGHT NOW SMACNA Western Washington and the Western Washington Sheet Metal
For comments or questions, email editor@pinpmagazine.org.
JATC partner to deliver COVID vaccinations.
11 THE NEXT GENERATION OF CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS Want to attract Gen Z to construction? It’s time to change the conversation.
S HE E T M E TA L | A I R | R A I L | T R A N S P O R TAT I O N
13 JEFFREY GRILL: MY JOURNEY
Jeff Grill has learned important skills for life and his career through his apprenticeship and participation in the Partners in Progress Conference.
14 CATCH 22 AND THE KOBAYASHI MARU
Trying to beat a Catch 22? Creativity is the key. Just ask Cadet Kirk.
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RECIPE FOR A SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP:
Leadership, Creativity, and Resilience News publications have written incessantly about the unprecedented industry, social, and economic impacts attributed to the global pandemic. What is fascinating is that some organizations did not merely survive the past year-anda-half. They thrived despite COVID. If you would like your business, Local, or Chapter to be able to do likewise, read on. Part IV of the Partnership series focuses on resources and programs available today to help SMART Locals, SMACNA Chapters, and contractors recruit their future workforce, communicate to potential customers the advantages of hiring union sheet metal contractors and craftspersons, and expand market share. For inspiration and proven ideas for successful joint labormanagement programs, turn to page 4, “75 Years Later: The SMACNA & SMART Partnership – What Now? What’s Next?” Working together does not have to be a costly endeavor at the local level. The SMACNA-SMART Best Practices Market Expansion Task Force (BPMETF) has professionally developed customizable recruiting and marketing tools available to local parties free of charge. By the way, bringing apprentices that have the potential to aspire to leadership in the sheet metal industry to the Partners in Progress Conference is also a Best Practice recommended by the BPMETF. In this month’s “My Journey” on page 11, we hear first-hand from a fourth-year apprentice who will attain full journeyman status in August. Before joining the sheet metal trade, Jeffrey Grill was not mechanically inclined. Jeffrey’s hard work and the education he received turned that weakness into one of his biggest strengths—understanding mechanical systems and being the handyman that can fix anything. Jeffrey has career aspirations inspired by technological advancements he learned about when he participated in the 2020 Partners in Progress Conference. A perfect example of resilience in the sheet metal industry is featured in “Large Scale Partners” on page 6. To successfully perform on the largest, highest-profile project to hit Cleveland in 20 years required SMART and SMACNA partners to collaborate on workforce projections, county inclusion goals, skills training, safety, and PPE—daunting tasks during the best of times. Fortunately for the customer and the employees, T.H. Martin and Local 33 had a solid partnership and leadership in place that allowed them to exceed the productivity and safety challenges presented by a complex project during a pandemic. The skilled labor shortage that has been projected for the construction industry for many years is in full surge in many North American SMACNA and SMART jurisdictions. The increase in demand coupled with large numbers of older workers retiring will require industry partners to find the most effective ways to attract and retain Millennial and Gen
© Can Stock Photo / pressmaster
Z workers. Find out the best methods and messages to bring career opportunities to the attention of your future workforce by reviewing the four tips for “Shaping the Next Generation of Construction Professionals” on page 9. Newsflash to my mother and most parents everywhere—all those hours in front of a television during our formative years did not necessarily rot our brains as you warned. We learned valuable life lessons about leadership, risk, and creative problem-solving from the most unconventional sources. The Trekkies among us will know how the Kobayashi Maru training exercise tested the character of Star Fleet Academy Cadets by asking them to choose between no-win choices to respond to an emergency. Learn on page 12 what James T. Kirk did to be the only cadet whose ship and crew survived the simulation in tact. The SMACNA and SMART partners who can exercise the type of leadership skills, adaptability, and resilience Cadet Kirk did are the ones who will thrive, carrying on their essential work despite a pandemic or any unprecedented or unanticipated emergency. ▪
« SMACNA-SMART Partnership Turns 75 in 2021 » SMACNA and SMART have been Partners in Progress for 75 years, and it is time to celebrate. Tell us about your partnership success story, share your organization’s partnership initiatives, or send in photos—recent or historical—that show off your labor-management partnership. Contact editor@pinpmagazine.org. Partners in Progress » June 2021 » 3
75 Years Later:
The SMACNA & SMART Partnership What Now? What’s Next? SMACNA and SMART began working together to improve the sheet metal industry 75 years ago, long before anyone used “partnering” as a verb. Over the past three months, Partners in Progress has examined the factors that initially led SMACNA and SMART to the realization that the two organizations could achieve much more success working together than either could accomplish on its own. While it is of interest to know the timeline and key accomplishments over the past 75 years, we shared the national partnership journey for another key reason—to inspire SMACNA contractors, Chapters, and Locals to begin or continue to work together at the local level to expand markets and create work opportunities for our respective members. Thanks to the efforts of the current and former SMART and SMACNA leaders, any Locals and contractors who recognize they must work together to make a difference have access to numerous resources and programs that will help them launch projects that will assist them in meeting their goals. Wondering where to start? Check out and register to access pinp.org, the SMART-SMACNA Joint Best Practices Market Expansion Task Force website that serves as a clearinghouse for resources, educational programs, and proven industry best practices, including: • Expertise Branding Logos Take advantage of SMACNA and SMART’s branding campaigns and sign up your company, Local, Chapter, or JATC to display the HVAC, 4 » Partners in Progress » www.pinp.org
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Industrial, Architectural, and/or Green Expertise logos on its websites, marketing materials, letterhead, and all communications. • Free Professionally Prepared Ads for Marketing Once you have incorporated the Expertise logos into your communications strategy, you will have access to FREE, professionally prepared ads to promote the advantages of hiring a contractor with the right expertise who will use professionally trained craftspersons on customers’ jobs. • Customizable Recruitment Ads, Banners, and Posters Knowing what messages about the tremendous career opportunities in the sheet metal industry resonate best with potential applicants, parents, and guidance counselors is
#MJMG
key to any successful recruitment campaign. Professionally prepared recruitment ads are available in English and Spanish. Some ads are designed so that local areas can enter starting wages for new employees who “earn while they learn” and wages for journeypersons. Other customizeable tools include banners for websites and posters for job fairs. Ads and materials can be modified with local information, ordered and purchased through the website, and shipped directly, or they can be ordered for dowload and local printing.
• Peer Recruiting/Brand Ambassador Program Employees who have fulfilling, well-paid jobs will likely have the most influence inspiring their peers to seek career opportunities the sheet metal industry. Sign onto the “My Job is My Gym” Industrial Athlete Brand Ambassador Program and take advantage of the social media recruitment campaigns led by SMACNA and SMART. Industrial Athlete t-shirts for Brand Ambassadors and employees can also be ordered on pinp.org. Note recorded webinars are available that walk industry partners through the various recruiting resources and provide suggestions for incorporating them in local campaigns. • Partners in Progress Publications & Past Conferences Need a refresher on what other Locals and Chapters are jointly working on in their local areas? Visit pinp.org to read current and back issues of Partners in Progress magazine, which feature industry success stories. Also posted are the presentations and materials from previous Partners in Progress Conferences back to 2002. Best Practices There are certainly many resources and great ideas on pinp.org, but there are some additional things SMACNA and SMART affiliates can do to promote their partnerships and the industry. • Enhance Labor & Management Attendance at the Next Partners in Progress Conference Expose as many
labor and management representatives as possible to the important presentations and messages at the 2022 Partners in Progress Conference, which will be held March 1-2, 2022, in Las Vegas. Follow the lead of successful Local 280 and SMACNA-British Columbia partners and bring new labor and contractor representatives to each conference. Identify several apprentices who have the potential to become industry leaders. Bring them to the conference to learn why it is imperative that labor and management work together, and to get their fresh perspectives.
• Follow Partners in Progress on Social Media See the
innovative projects that labor and management partners are working on or building in their local areas.
• Submit Local Success Stories to Partners in Progress
Take advantage of all the free, positive press coverage you can get for your joint labor-management initiatives. Share details on local building projects, labor-management initiatives, recruiting or marketing campaigns, charitable events, or other success stories with the Partners in Progress editors at press@pinp.org to be featured in the monthly magazine, a press release, and social media posts. This coverage can reach potential customers and job applicants, and it instills pride in members who have worked on featured projects.
• Invite the Best Practices Task Force to Meet in Your Local Area The SMART-SMACNA Best Practices Market
Expansion Task Force meets twice annually to develop and refine industry resources and programs for labor and management partners. As in-person meetings resume, consider inviting the Task Force meet in your local area to share their work and ideas with some Local, contractor, and Chapter representatives. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and share your efforts.
• Need a Resource But Can’t Find It? Reach out to the
SMART (ppimentel@smart-union.org) and SMACNA (mpowers@smacna.org) BPMETF staff representatives or to Partners in Progress (info@pinpmagazine.org) to inquire. They can recommend the appropriate resources or suggest to the Task Force new resources for development.
At the close of the 2020 Partners in Progress Conference, SMART General President Joseph Sellers, Jr. and SMACNA President Angie Simon challenged all the attendees to meet with their respective labor or management partners to identify areas of shared interest, whether those relate to recruiting, retention, business development, adapting to technological innovation, or other topics of importance, and work collaboratively to improve and promote the signatory sheet metal industry. The Best Practices Market Expansion Task Force and the Partners in Progress team have worked diligently to make it easy and affordable for local parties to accomplish their joint goals because our collective future depends on it. ▪
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Large Scale
PARTNERS
SMACNA Cleveland’s T.H. Martin and SMART Local 33 were the perfect team on Cleveland Hospital, the city’s largest project in 20 years By / Jessica Kirby • Photos courtesy of T.H. Martin When it wraps up in April 2022, Cleveland Hospital will have 11 stories, 270 new beds, a 1,500-space employee parking garage, and expanded green space and community programs on its 52-acre campus. If that sounds like a lot, that is because it is. In fact, this project—financed by $946 million in hospital-revenue bonds and a $100 million fundraising campaign by the MetroHealth Foundation—will be the largest project Cleveland has seen in two decades. SMACNA Cleveland contractor T.H. Martin and the highly skilled craftspersons at Local 33 Cleveland were the perfect team for taking on a project of this magnitude, where the logistics are challenging, the schedule demanding, and the design complex—all while dealing with a pandemic.
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Tom Martin, president at T.H. Martin and Best Practices Market Expansion Task Force member, said the company began the job with 10 to 15 sheet metal workers on site, but throughout, as many as 60 were required on site, with 25 supporting in the shop. “A project of this size, with a demanding schedule and a complex design, meant additional labor was needed during the rough-in phase,” Martin says. “Because we were extremely busy and had other projects ongoing, we worked with our partners at Local 33 to identify the right personnel and talent for completing this job.” Local 33 Business Manager Tim Miller says the Local approached the project as a team effort on all fronts, including
“The complex design involved damper and plenum walls in all the equipment rooms, and huge flue stacks in the central utility plant and above the roof level, which meant it required an enormous amount of collaboration and planning. We had to be sure the men and women on site were comfortable with how this was coming together and were able to complete the work to both meet the design and SMACNA standards. ” “Any time you have a project of this size and technical nature, including the need to use the Trimble system, BIM programming, and complex logistics, you need a quality contractor, such as T.H. Martin, and you need the well-trained work force Local 33 provides,” Miller said. “It was essential that the team of BIM and CAD professionals was strong and understood job and the 3D modeling dynamic of the project.” Where they could, the team prefabbed the duct and sent it out to simplify the process for field workers, but that wasn’t always possible, depending on the schedule or the floor where the duct was needed. “It was a challenge for the men and women in our shop and in the field to manage the logistics,” Martin says. “Success in that regard came down to having good communication with our Local workforce and their ability to manage the scope and scale of a project like this.” The changes and requirements associated with the pandemic were a challenge, but solid communication between T.H. Martin and Local 33 served to mitigate extra costs and delays.
securing an adequate workforce. “We had discussions with T.H. Martin about how Local 33 could assist in any way to make the project successful for both organizations,” he says. “Items discussed were workforce needs, safety, training, and PPE when the pandemic began.” Finding the “right” people for the job meant two things. First, the workforce had to be highly trained in welding, BIM, CAD, and on fabrication and installation of medium pressure ductwork and reinforcements. Second, the project had to meet inclusivity requirements. “The project required an immense amount of welding, reinforcements, and duct testing, and we were dealing with some huge duct we don’t usually work with,” Martin says. Partners in Progress » June 2021 » 7
Large Scale Partners
Local 33’s labor management cooperation committee worked with T.H. Martin and other contractors to assist in acquiring and distributing the PPE required to maintain a safe work environment and meet the CDC guidelines throughout the project. “When job sites mandate certain criteria—like masks, gloves, PPE, temperature checks, wash stations, and staggered lunches and breaks—you would normally get pushback,” Martin says. “But we didn’t, partly because of our workplace culture, but also because our relationship with the union allowed us to communicate and make sure everyone understood the mandate. When we told them what we had to adhere to, they made sure the information was disseminated to members and employees.” Because the project is a county hospital and because of how it is funded, the team had to meet inclusion workforce goals. An overall total 15% of the workforce on the project had to be females and individuals of Hispanic origin, and 20% of the total workforce had to be residents of the city of Cleveland. “We tried to do that within our company, and when we needed people, we communicated and worked with Local 33 to meet the goals of the job site from the boots on the ground perspective,” Martin says. “T.H. Martin and Local 33 identified the need for inclusion on this project, and we worked as a team to meet those needs and goals,” Miller says. “T.H. Martin and Local 33 identified the workforce needs and used our Partnership Development Department and JATC as means of meeting those needs with a well-trained workforce capable of completing the project. 8 » Partners in Progress » www.pinp.org
Inclusion is also our goal as an industry and something Local 33 is committed to on a larger scale.” The project is nearing completion and weekly updates from Metro Health and the general contractor indicate construction is on schedule and carrying forward smoothly. “I am very proud of our members and our employees for their resilience in fighting through the pandemic,” Martin says. “They had to work overtime, and we needed to find people to work on a second shift in the shop because of social distancing requirements. This can be challenging because everyone wants to be at home with family. “It is the biggest project in the city in 20 years, it is a high profile project, and a lot of men and women wanted to be on it. Executing almost all of the rough-in and the majority of the job during a pandemic is challenging, but they were up for the task, and I appreciate that.” “This project was successful because labor and management worked together, not only through a difficult project, but also through a pandemic while addressing the project needs and the needs of our organizations,” Miller said. “We accomplished this in an effort to make the customer glad they chose a union contractor with well-trained union workers.” ▪ Jessica Kirby is a freelance editor and writer covering construction, architecture, mining, travel, and sustainable living for myriad publications across Canada and the United States. She can usually be found among piles of paper in her home office or exploring nature’s bounty in British Columbia’s incredible wilderness.
© Can Stock Photo / ronniechua
Come Together, Right Now
SMACNA Western Washington and the Western Washington Sheet Metal JATC recent COVID vaccination clinic demonstrates the power of partnerships. By / Natalie Bruckner Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. Every day the sheet metal industry demonstrates this through joint efforts that are changing the world. A great example is the recent COVID vaccination drive organized by SMACNAWestern Washington, Rite Aid, and the Western Washington Sheet Metal JATC to set the wheels in motion. It all started earlier this year when Julie Muller, executive vice president at SMACNA-WW, was approached by member contractors Holaday-Parks, Inc. and Holmberg Mechanical to help organize COVID vaccine shots for their teams. She immediately stepped up. It also got her thinking, “Why not organize more clinics to give easier access for those members who want the vaccine?” After the partnership was set up with Rite Aid, SMACNAWW’s primary prescription provider, it was time to source the venues. Muller, alongside Carrie Heinrich, operation manager at SMACNA-WW and Patricia Bovie, marketing specialist at SMACNA-WW, picked up the phone to call in some favors. Hermanson Company, PSF Mechanical, and MacDonald-Miller Facility Solutions were among those contractor companies that offered up their locations for the clinics, but finding a venue that could handle the volume on the south side of Washington state proved a little difficult. Partners in Progress » June 2021 » 9
Come Together, Right Now
Jeff Reinhardt, executive administrator for Western Washington Sheet Metal JATC, heard from the team at SMACNA-WW and offered to help. “Julie reached out to me and told me she was trying to hold the clinics at the contractors’ spaces, but they didn't have a good location on the south end,” Reinhardt says. “We came to an agreement that the JATC DuPont office was a good central area for the south side of Western Washington.” The venue was perfect, not only because of its location, but also because it is a 35,000-square-foot facility, which meant it could handle the expected 200 capacity per clinic. The team at SMACNA-WW had 18 vaccine clinics and locations locked down in a matter of 10 days and was busy working behind the scenes to ensure everything went smoothly. “Honestly, SMACNA-WW took care of 90% of it,” Reinhardt says. “We just had to make sure we had the place set up, and we organized the parking and somewhere for people to hang out for 15 minutes after they had their vaccine.” Bovie set up a simple registration process, which came as a relief to many. Each clinic had a scheduling link that could be sent to members, as opposed to trying to find out where and when the vaccine would be available, and then joining a wait list. As for the clinics, the team at SMACNA-WW decided to use their event organizing skills and put a little spin on them. “In the normal clinics, people go into to get their vaccine, they get the shot, and then they have to wait 15 minutes in a room full of strangers,” Heinrich says. “That can feel like a long time. We wanted to take out any anxiety people may feel and give them something to do... and I mean, who doesn’t like to eat and drink for free?” Each clinic was different, some with a DJ, others with a food truck or a hula hoop competition. On May 7 at the JATC DuPont office, members who visited the clinic were not only able to get their jab, but could enjoy catered Mexican food. Naturally, Reinhardt had his COVID vaccine shot, too. “It 10 » Partners in Progress » www.pinp.org
was so simple,” he says. “I walked in, they gave me the shot, and I went back to my day with some great Mexican food.” The second clinic at the JATC DuPont office was held during the final week of May. “We had some openings in the schedule for that one. We put signs out front so people could come in from the street,” Reinhardt says. During that clinic, visitors received a boxed lunch. “For all the clinics, it really was a team effort,” Heinrich says. “We had great contractors to work with who helped pull this together, as well as a great JATC. Rite Aid was amazing, too.” Bovie adds, “It was very rewarding, and we felt very proud of what we achieved in administering the vaccine to members and their families.” As Washington state fully enters phase 3 and gets ready to open up (having reached 68.2% of its 70% vaccination threshold target statewide as of June 25), the partnership, hard work, and quick implementation of these clinics is further proof that by working together, much can be achieved in a very short space of time. ▪ Natalie is an award-winning writer who has worked in the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, the United States, and Canada. She has more than 23 years experience as a journalist, editor, and brand builder, specializing in construction and transportation. When she’s not writing, you will likely find her snowboarding, mountain biking, or climbing mountains with her rescue dog.
© Can Stock Photo / kuzmaphoto
By Randi Bakalar
The next generation of construction professionals By / Randi Bakalar
The skilled labor shortage in North America continues to be a significant challenge for the construction industry. While the pandemic delayed many construction projects in 2020, the demand in 2021 is full steam ahead. This strong demand, coupled with older workers retiring, has intensified the labor shortage, creating space for the next generation of construction workers. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and USG Corporation, 91% of contractors who participated in a study reported having a moderate to difficult time hiring skilled workers for vacant positions. In the months following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, business owners reported having an even bigger challenge in filling open positions. In fact, the study reports 39% of those contractors believe hiring will become even more challenging in the months and years to come. To foster the next generation of the construction workforce, organization leaders can help close this gap by recruiting Millennials, born 1981-1996, and Generation Z, born between 1995 and 2010. With the recurring worker shortages in today’s construction environment, consider the following tips to help companies in the skilled trades successfully attract and retain Millennial and Gen Z workers. Partners in Progress » June 2021 » 11
Shaping the Next Generation of Construction Professionals
“Financial freedom aside, the industry needs
to reinforce that skilled trade careers also require talent, knowledge, and dedication.
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1. Change the Conversation It’s never too early to introduce young people to skilled trades opportunities. Parents and teachers should give equal weight to skilled trade careers and higher education paths. Ultimately, a four-year degree may not be right for every student, and young adults are seeing the financial pitfalls that can come with earning a bachelor’s degree. In fact, federal data from 2021 shows that the average student leaves a four-year degree program almost $40,000 in debt. In comparison, a two-year degree or trade certification allows students to get paid, on-the-job training during school, and depending on the line of work, many companies will pay for their employees to get trade certifications. Financial freedom aside, the industry needs to reinforce that skilled trade careers also require talent, knowledge, and dedication. These are roles that thrive on creativity, innovation, teamwork, and quick thinking, and may also provide the opportunity to become a manager or take ownership within a business setting. 2. Connect With Youth Professional trade organizations must reach out to local high schools to showcase the opportunities in the industry—and their specific trade offerings—to attract the future workforce. This type of relationship building is in the best, long-term interest of every signatory contractor and Local, and it requires ongoing efforts. This may mean encouraging high school students to consider a tech school, look at union companies for summer internship work, or take into consideration a potential job opportunity after graduation. Outreach opportunities should also look broadly enough to build connections with students who are nearing the end of their degree programs and planning for their career paths after graduation. 3. Spotlight the Benefits The belief that you must secure a four-year or liberal arts degree to be well-compensated simply isn’t true. There is good money to be made in skilled trades work. For example, the mean annual wage for construction and extraction occupations can range from $39,000 to $45,580, and mean hourly wage is around $20.67, according to a May 2020 report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many in the skilled trades profession earn six-figure wages in far less time, and with far less money spent on education, than just about any other field of work. Beyond wages, there are other factors, such as the benefits of work satisfaction, 12 » Partners in Progress » www.pinp.org
job security, and work/life balance. It is the responsibility of all industry professionals to educate youth on the financial benefits, as well as the fulfillment that comes from other positive aspects of these roles. 4. Encourage Development Opportunities Finally, it’s important to inform young people of the opportunities for advancement and growth within Chapters, businesses, and Locals—and the industry at large. There are significant opportunities for career progression and growth into management and leadership positions. Showcasing the opportunities for succession planning and business ownership is another aspect of the trades labor force that can provide more value than a traditional career path outside of the industry. The industry is reaching a tipping point where it will continue to see more significant job gaps as Baby Boomers retire. Capitalizing now on the vast knowledge and skills of these professionals and their ability to train a new generation will be vital to keeping the industry going. Part of this is understanding how to communicate with Millenial and Gen Z employees. More than any other generation, Millennial/Gen Z employees are driven by financial rewards and potential career advancements. Tying their responsibilities and their place in your organization to the bottom line is important for them to understand how they directly contribute to not only their own success but also the company’s. In addition, it can be important to remember that this group uses digital communication tools for all aspects of their lives. Text messaging and other project management or workflow applications, like Slack, are the preferred way to collaborate and connect. Ultimately, everyone can play a part in preparing for the economy of tomorrow by taking steps to help attract and retain the next generation of construction professionals. While these tips are meant to encourage you and your managers to strategically plan for the future of your organization, you are the real expert when it comes to your your market, your industry, and the role you play in your community. The more outreach you can do to cultivate awareness for your organization and the opportunities in the industry more broadly, the more successful we will all be in building stronger employees, businesses, and communities. ▪ Randi Bakalar is the corporate communications manager for Doosan Bobcat North America, and has previously served in human resources and labor relations roles for the company. She has extensive experience leading employee engagement programs, communication and outreach, as well as supporting the company’s science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education initiatives and partnerships with higher education programs. This article was originally published in the June 2021 issue of Construction Business Owner magazine. Visit constructionbusinessowner.com/ home to read more.
JEFFREY GRILL: MY JOURNEY Sheet Metal Apprentice Local 104 Intech Mechanical I am a sheet metal apprentice that will be turning out this August. I am a part of Local 104, and I do my schooling and work in the Sacramento area. I work for Intech Mechanical and started my apprenticeship with them when we were working on the new Sacramento Kings arena. I have spent a little time in the shop, but I have spent the majority of my time working in the field. Just recently, I was offered a position in the office as a sheet metal detailer, and I have been in this new position for a little over a month.
I am a third-generation sheet metal worker. My dad works in the Sacramento area as a sheet metal superintendent, and my grandfather ran his own sheet metal company in Montana. After high school, I went to the local community college for four years, but I received poor information from the counsellors and ended up taking the wrong pre-requisites needed to transfer into a four-year biological engineering program at Sacramento State, which was my ultimate goal. Based on the education I had so far, I realized that unless I created something amazing or was picked up by a private company, I would most likely be working as a research assistant for a university making $40,000 a year trying to pay off a massive student loan debt. Instead, I talked to my dad and got into the sheet metal trade. Before the trade, I was not mechanically inclined. I could work out any math problem you gave me, but if you were to ask me to build anything with my hands I would have been lost. The best skill I gained from this trade is the ability to better understand mechanical systems and construction as a whole. I
started this job being gullible enough to look for ʻa sky hook in the conex’, and I am now the handyman at my house who can fix any issue we have. What was once a weakness for me has become one of my many strengths, and I am forever grateful for that. Since I started this job, I have pushed for work in the office, as it would allow me to have more free time to take night classes and eventually finish college with a degree in mechanical engineering. My hope is that my time spent hanging duct and working in the field will give me an advantage over your typical engineer who doesn’t understand how things really work on the job site. Just because it looks great on paper doesn’t mean it will fit in real life. After I finish my degree, I would love to work as a mechanical engineer for a union sheet metal company or start my own company. However, my goal for now is to do the best I can and to get better everyday at my current job as a sheet metal detailer. The area of sheet metal that interests me the most is the technological advancement in our field. Our local sheet metal training center just received a virtual welder for training purposes, which is awesome, and at the Partners in Progress Conference last year, I heard about Trimble’s new augmented reality glasses that would allow workers to see a 3D print of the job while physically on the job site. I am super excited to see what additional advancements are to come for our trade, and I hope I will be able to take part in that. My advice to anyone interested in getting into the trade is to give it a shot and keep an open mind. There are multiple opportunities and different job positions in the trade, and everyone can find something that they can enjoy and excel at. Plus, the pay isn’t bad either! ▪ Partners Partners in in Progress Progress »» June June 2021 2021 »» 13 13
© Can Stock Photo / 3000ad
Catch 22 and The Kobayashi Maru By / Steve Keating The term Catch 22 is broadly used to describe a tricky problem or a no-win or even absurd situation. You have a couple of choices for solving a problem, but neither of them actually solves it and either of them will likely make the problem worse. If you were, or are, a fan of the Star Trek television series or movies then you know that the Kobayashi Maru is a training exercise designed to test the character of Starfleet Academy cadets in a no-win scenario. It’s a Catch 22 on steroids. With the Kobayashi Maru, cadets were put in a situation where they had two options and neither of them was good. But the test required that they select one of the two available options. When they picked one, they discovered just how bad their choices were. Both choices resulted in the loss of their ship and the entire crew. No cadet had ever “survived” the Kobayashi Maru until James T. Kirk arrived at Starfleet Academy. He was given the same two terrible choices and told he must pick one. Yet, both his ship and crew came through intact. So, how did this Kirk guy do it? Well, when presented with two horrible options, he declined to pick either one. He manufactured a third. All the other cadets stayed within the guidelines given to them, even knowing the likely outcome. Kirk refused to be limited to choices that would lead to his destruction. So, he created a third option, seemingly out of thin air. Some people would say he cheated. Some would say he was very creative. I would say he merely broke the rule that needed to be broken in order to survive. 14 » Partners in Progress » www.pinp.org
Many of the things we take for granted today were at one time thought impossible. The people who overcame the impossible didn’t do it with conventional wisdom. They didn’t do it by applying the same limited thinking that made whatever it was impossible in the first place. They also didn’t meekly follow every direction that was given. They took a risk by breaking a rule or two that apparently didn’t need to be a rule to begin with. They colored outside the lines a bit to determine what was possible. They pushed the widely accepted limits. People don’t often create new things with old thinking. People don’t change their lives and the lives of others by doing what they have always done. No one overcomes the impossible by asking for permission to do it. When they run out of options, they do what James T. Kirk did—they manufacture another option. They don’t quit, and they don’t accept options that will lead to failure. They beat the Kobayashi Maru. Can you beat it too? ▪ Steve has over 30 years of sales and sales leadership experience. Recognized as a thought leader and authority on leadership, he is an acclaimed and in-demand presenter. He speaks dozens of times a year around the world on topics relating to leadership, sales, customer service, and business management. You can reach Steve at stevekeating@leadtoday.net. Reprinted with permission from Steve Keating at SteveKeating. me. Visit his blog for more leadership articles and advice.
