Since its inception, CCOP students have worked on a
number of large and high-profile projects including:
• Englewood Child and Family Center Interior
(Bulley & Andrews)
• Hartgrove Hospital
(Ceco Concrete Construction)
• Polish Consulate
(The George Sollitt Construction Co.)
didates had the technical skills early on, they didn’t necessarily have the whole package that contractors were seeking. “We
need employees with a ‘can-do’ positive work ethic,” Byford
says. “We tell candidates that it’s about not only showing up
— but being early, it’s about working safely, it’s about reliabil-ity … those are the things that will really help them stand
apart from their counterparts.”
Helping students understand the ins and outs of working in
the construction industry also is now a focus. After a while,
the association and its members “became much more aware
of what it takes to be successful in a construction career,”
Leitschuh says. “The thinking was always a bit like ‘you’re big
and strong … you can handle it.’ Really, we found we were
stereotyping ourselves.”
In reality, Leitschuh explains, the industry is unlike many
other industries. In order to succeed in it long-term, a certain
aptitude is necessary, as is some preparation in how to handle
its intricacies. For instance, it’s not your normal 9 a.m. to 5
p.m./five-days-a-week job; hours and shifts depend on a combination of weather and day-to-day job progress. Someone is
always watching you, unlike in an office setting where most
people can take personal phone calls or use the Internet. Jobs
are subject to union seniority, which sometimes complicates
work assignments.
Dawson has incorporated many of those elements into its
curriculum, and field personnel from member contractors visit
classes to explain firsthand what it’s like. Dawson also handpicks
the students whose resumes will be forwarded to the Builders
Association for their members’ consideration and helps prepare
them for the interview process.
“We focus on those students who have shown good aptitude in class, have resumes on file, and have shown aggressiveness in wanting to work,” McGraw says. They provide interview
tips and insights into how the hiring process works in construction. “We make them aware of the challenges unions have,
and how contractor partners have to adhere to certain rules,”
he says.
In fact, that attention to the role of unions — the program
after all is considered a “prep” program for union apprentice
programs — has been important. “We want to be user-friendly
to the unions, and contractors feel better knowing unions are
attached to the program,” McGraw says. “CCOP is a sensible way
of getting all parties together [including the unions].”
In reality, Leitschuh explains,
the industry is unlike many
other industries. In order to
succeed in it long-term, a
certain aptitude is necessary,
as is some preparation in
how to handle its intricacies.
BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS
In the end, there are many strategies that have played a role
in CCOP’s success. But a few stand out in Leitschuh’s mind.
First, “We really made an effort to put together a quality program that provides real value to students as well as the construction companies,” Leitschuh says. “This wasn’t a case of
‘If we put a sign on the door, they’ll come.’”
On the association side, Leitschuh also credits part of
the program’s success to the effort staff placed on personally
visiting many of the member companies, talking about participating and following through. “This was a big deal … we’re
asking them to hire people … not just buy a new book,”
he says.
Going forward, the association would like to increase participation — the number of companies at Interview Days and
the number of hires. But both of those are likely to come as
they work to improve the quality of program graduates.
“It’s a slow process but if you spread it out across the
membership of the association, you can make something happen and change the make-up of the industry’s diversity,” Strong
says. He would like to eventually see the program — or some
kind of industry education and vocational training — extended
to the Chicago Public Schools as well.
“We realize we’re not going to change the industry overnight,”
Leitschuh concurs. “But we’ve really opened the door and created a new pipeline of good qualified workers. The workforce is
the key.”
So the next time you pass by a building construction site,
take a minute to look past the massive machinery and all the
noise. It’s the people that are making it all possible. And it just
might have been the Builders Association that helped some of
those employees get there.
Rachel Crippin Clark is a communications consultant and freelance writer based
in the Chicago area. She may be reached at rcclark@wideopenwest.com.
THE AUGUST 2008 SIGNATURE STORY features the American
Association of Orthopaedic Executives and its recent rebranding
process. The AAOE, based in Rosemont, is a 501(c) 3 organization
with about 1,450 members and an annual budget of just more than $1
million dollars. For more information, visit www.aaoe.net.
