COVER STORY
By Tracy Bennett
Routes to REWARDING CAREERS
Job Fair Opens Eyes to A Day in the Life of Steel Construction
SEAA’s Careers in Construction event featured hands-on demos, introduction to training videos, and networking.
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early 300 students from five Houston area school districts plus several dozen military veterans attended SEAA’s construction career fair in January 2022. Recruiting and hiring remains one of the primary challenges SEAA member companies face. The Long Range Planning Committee spearheaded the event, which was hosted by SEAA member Adaptive Construction Solutions, Inc. Students rotated through stations staffed by member companies and equipment suppliers. In addition to learning about the steel construction industry in general, students also heard about specific jobs in steel fabrication, decking, bridge building, and structural and reinforcing steel erecting. The students came from Career and Technical Education programs, where they are Tracy Bennett is Managing Editor of Connector and Principal Partner of Mighty Mo Media Partners, a marketing consulting firm. Her technical expertise is in construction, lifting equipment, and workforce development.
enrolled in welding, architecture, construction, and manufacturing programs. Many of them are in process of completing OSHA 30 training and certifications. “Construction presents a life-long career opportunity that does not require a four-year degree,” said David Deem, incoming President-Elect of SEAA and President of Deem Structural Services. “I finished one year of college, but without the funds to continue I sought out an apprenticeship where I could earn while I learned the trade. Now, after 40 years in the industry, I’ve enjoyed a career that constantly challenges me and has never hindered my personal or professional growth.” Deem encouraged students that no matter what path they decide to take to choose a career that they enjoy, which he believes is the key to success. In January, SEAA launched a new job board and applicant tracking software for members. The tool is designed to give members a custom careers page and with the upgraded version, an easy way to manage posting of open positions across all the major hiring websites. Students participating in the career fair were encouraged to use the tool to find jobs once they are ready to enter the workforce. To illustrate the many different kinds of careers and the various routes individuals have taken to get to where they are today, Connector asked employees of SEAA member companies what a day in the life of their job looks like.
30 | THE STEEL ERECTORS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
ESTIMATOR Jaikob Ellison took the college degree route to his career in construction. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Construction Management, he came to Cooper Steel, Shelbyville, Tenn., after working in internships with the Department of Defense and a large contractor. “These internships helped me understand what a GC is looking for from a sub-contractor on the preconstruction side,” said Ellison. He has been with Cooper Steel for eight years, currently working as the Preconstruction Business Unit Manager. “Estimators are in many instances the first impression of a company. This could be with potential subcontractors or future customers, who may not have a long-standing relationship with your company,” he said. The three skills he thinks are critical to being an estimator are “ambition, communication, and organization.”
Jaikob Ellison
