Braden Black CEO
“Skilled Trades is a skilled personnel provider to the industrial, commercial, and energy construction\maintenance industry. If you would like to learn more about how we can help your business maximize productivity and minimize employment risk, please click on your state below for a Market Manager in your area.”
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Worforce Training & Development
In these dire economic times, it’s an easy decision for construction executives to rein in any spending they deem “discretionary.” But I would argue that workforce development, like business development, is an investment and should not fall victim to the budgetary ax. Consistent, comprehensive and challenging apprenticeship programs – with effective field and classroom training –breed desirable but intangible traits such a strong work ethic and professional pride. But they also instill employee loyalty, safer jobsites and technical proficiency – all of which produce the very tangible effect of expanding the construction firm’s profit margin.
A rapidly aging construction workforce, the dearth of qualified recruits to replenish the labor pool and the fact that many states require apprentices on public works projects have combined to create an even greater need for quality, certified apprenticeship training. With so much riding on your employees’ proficiency, it makes sense to invest some time to ensure your training program and partners measure up. Organized labor was the pioneer in developing the apprenticeship system. But union training programs in many ways are outdated (much of the union system is based on formulae developed before World War II). Fortunately, there are many efficient alternatives open to non-union shops that can provide education and on-the-job training that can be just as effective: career and technical high schools, community colleges, construction trade associations such as the Associated Builders and Contractors and the Independent Electrical Contractors and dedicated, private training schools such as the Building Trades Institute.
Federal apprenticeship rules, the newest revisions in place for about a year, offer employers a flexible, modernized system – including the option to offer three different routes to proper training. This flexibility allows construction companies to fit not only their needs but the needs of their individual workers. Because one size does not fit all, employers can choose a traditional “time-based” approach, in which the apprentice completes a predetermined number of on-the-job training hours and related technical instruction. Or the contractor may choose a “competency-based” approach, in which the apprentice to must demonstrate competency in a specific subject area after completing OJT and RTI. Or the company may institute a combination of these approaches.
Whichever path employers take to ensure their apprentices achieve the necessary abilities through training and classroom learning, it is imperative to choose training partners to help them achieve their goals.
I have developed a checklist of features and benefits construction companies should look for when qualifying potential partners for their apprenticeship training:
• Compliance Assurance – Your apprenticeship training partner must institute the specific training programs your company needs, including measurement techniques and minimum proficiency requirements. It also must ensure these standards meet or exceed state and federal thresholds.
• Customized Training – The partner should not only teach the basic skills your workers will need to succeed, but also tailor its more advanced training to meet the specific challenges they will meet on the types of jobs your company typically performs.
• Worker-level Assessments – Your training partner should quantitatively and qualitatively determine each worker’s skill level to determine where your training dollars will be best spent.
• Effective Management – The partner should compile, track, interpret and regularly report to you the training program’s effectiveness, including such rubrics as return on investment, completion rate, turnover reduction.
• Workforce Recruitment – Your training investment should perform double duty, not only making workers more productive but also serving as a tool to increase quality employees. The partner must market your program and sell it as an additional benefit of working for your company.
• Grantor Acceptance – While apprenticeship and other worker training is not an area to be scrimped on, there is no need for right-thinking construction companies not to take advantage of government assistance in this area. To fully benefit from the myriad training grants, tax benefits and federal stimulus money available, ensure your training partner is among the approved vendors for these programs.
Speaking of government help in paying for construction worker training, several avenues are available. The U.S. Department of Labor offers grants throughout the year. In 2009, DOL offered grants for training workers in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries and for attracting minorities, women, veterans and young people to the industry. In addition, some states use contractor’s board-imposed fines to fund construction education provided by its partners. These funds often are available to established trainers such as industry employer associations to implement or expand programs and defray employers’ training costs.
Workforce Investment Boards of many states have devised programs that not only teach construction jobsite skills, but also employability skills including time management, negotiation and meeting etiquette. These programs often target the fringes of the labor pool such as non-violent criminal offenders and the longtime unemployed. Many WIB programs offer dollar-for-dollar matching for employers’ training investments.
States and the federal government offer tax breaks for companies that train existing workers or hire and train traditionally underserved demographics.
Again, I highly recommend utilizing a Training Consultant to tap into these workforce development funds. Eric Rader and his Team at Building Trades Institute is one of the best in the business.
A rapidly aging construction workforce, the dearth of qualified recruits to replenish the labor pool and the fact that many states require apprentices on public works projects have combined to create an even greater need for quality, certified apprenticeship training. With so much riding on your employees’ proficiency, it makes sense to invest some time to ensure your training program and partners measure up. Organized labor was the pioneer in developing the apprenticeship system. But union training programs in many ways are outdated (much of the union system is based on formulae developed before World War II). Fortunately, there are many efficient alternatives open to non-union shops that can provide education and on-the-job training that can be just as effective: career and technical high schools, community colleges, construction trade associations such as the Associated Builders and Contractors and the Independent Electrical Contractors and dedicated, private training schools such as the Building Trades Institute.
Federal apprenticeship rules, the newest revisions in place for about a year, offer employers a flexible, modernized system – including the option to offer three different routes to proper training. This flexibility allows construction companies to fit not only their needs but the needs of their individual workers. Because one size does not fit all, employers can choose a traditional “time-based” approach, in which the apprentice completes a predetermined number of on-the-job training hours and related technical instruction. Or the contractor may choose a “competency-based” approach, in which the apprentice to must demonstrate competency in a specific subject area after completing OJT and RTI. Or the company may institute a combination of these approaches.
Whichever path employers take to ensure their apprentices achieve the necessary abilities through training and classroom learning, it is imperative to choose training partners to help them achieve their goals.
I have developed a checklist of features and benefits construction companies should look for when qualifying potential partners for their apprenticeship training:
• Compliance Assurance – Your apprenticeship training partner must institute the specific training programs your company needs, including measurement techniques and minimum proficiency requirements. It also must ensure these standards meet or exceed state and federal thresholds.
• Customized Training – The partner should not only teach the basic skills your workers will need to succeed, but also tailor its more advanced training to meet the specific challenges they will meet on the types of jobs your company typically performs.
• Worker-level Assessments – Your training partner should quantitatively and qualitatively determine each worker’s skill level to determine where your training dollars will be best spent.
• Effective Management – The partner should compile, track, interpret and regularly report to you the training program’s effectiveness, including such rubrics as return on investment, completion rate, turnover reduction.
• Workforce Recruitment – Your training investment should perform double duty, not only making workers more productive but also serving as a tool to increase quality employees. The partner must market your program and sell it as an additional benefit of working for your company.
• Grantor Acceptance – While apprenticeship and other worker training is not an area to be scrimped on, there is no need for right-thinking construction companies not to take advantage of government assistance in this area. To fully benefit from the myriad training grants, tax benefits and federal stimulus money available, ensure your training partner is among the approved vendors for these programs.
Speaking of government help in paying for construction worker training, several avenues are available. The U.S. Department of Labor offers grants throughout the year. In 2009, DOL offered grants for training workers in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries and for attracting minorities, women, veterans and young people to the industry. In addition, some states use contractor’s board-imposed fines to fund construction education provided by its partners. These funds often are available to established trainers such as industry employer associations to implement or expand programs and defray employers’ training costs.
Workforce Investment Boards of many states have devised programs that not only teach construction jobsite skills, but also employability skills including time management, negotiation and meeting etiquette. These programs often target the fringes of the labor pool such as non-violent criminal offenders and the longtime unemployed. Many WIB programs offer dollar-for-dollar matching for employers’ training investments.
States and the federal government offer tax breaks for companies that train existing workers or hire and train traditionally underserved demographics.
Again, I highly recommend utilizing a Training Consultant to tap into these workforce development funds. Eric Rader and his Team at Building Trades Institute is one of the best in the business.
Labels: Commercial, Construction Industry
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