Build Your Future 2022Build Your Future 2022 Build Your Future Arizona’s mission is to create a sust

BUILD YOUR FUTURE

CHARTING THE PATH

Build Your Future Arizona connects young adults with construction careers

By KYLE BACKER

F

or all the strangeness of an atypical year, 2021 saw a remarkable trend while the nation still struggled with the pandemic and inflation: people quit their jobs in droves. Dubbed the Great Resignation, this phenomenon meant “Help Wanted” signs became a common sight in storefronts across the country. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a staggering 4.4 million employees quit their jobs in September 2021, representing 3% of workers. In October, there were 11 million job vacancies.

Some sectors, such as construction, are no stranger to positions going unfilled. Since the Great Recession, the industry has struggled with attracting and retaining workers in every trade.

That was one of the animating drivers behind Build Your Future Arizona

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(BYFAZ), an initiative from the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation.

In 2019, the Foundation created a Construction Workforce Collaborative in which several companies came together to focus on how to build a talent pipeline.

“For years, the folks involved with the collaborative had been struggling just having enough entry level talent to replace the workers who are about to retire. Arizona is projected to need 254,830 construction jobs filled through the end of 2024, with 57,000 of those being carpentry positions alone,” explains Paul Sanders, workforce development manager for the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation. “These companies sat down and identified the reasons why they were unable to have a steady pipeline of talent.”

He notes that they pinned it down to three basic things: a negative sentiment around the trades, misconceptions about possible career paths and the overall lack of knowledge pertaining to training opportunities.

With the main roadblocks determined, the group looked to the Build Your Future program by the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) as a model. The organization offered a website template that the collaborative decided to pursue as a platform where people can learn more about construction career paths and earning potential.

With that, BYFAZ was born.

“The primary goal is to get young adults to consider careers in construction,” Sanders says.

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BUILD YOUR FUTURE

Dan Puente

CHANGING PERCEPTIONS For decades, high school counselors focused their career advice on attending a university. While many students can and should pursue a degree, the emphasis on formal postsecondary education made other viable paths an afterthought. In the worst cases, a career in the trades has been used as a foil to encourage students to go to college. The reality is, post-secondary education is often required for skilled trades and several Arizona community colleges, including Maricopa County Community College District are adding skilled trade programs to their course offerings.

Marcia Veidmark, president and CEO of SSC Underground, remembers when higher education institutions began aggressively marketing fouryear degrees to students. She recalls a poster that featured two students standing side by side. One was dressed in the personal protection equipment

60 | January-February 2022

Paul Sanders

Marcia Veidmark

of a construction worker; the other wore a suit and held a briefcase. The advertisement asked, “Which do you want for your child?”

“I remember thinking, ‘Why are you degrading the trades like that?’

I’ve been in Arizona for more than 50 years, so I watched universities successfully market that the best option for your child is a four-year degree, and that’s just not true,” she says. “We should show mutual respect and support for both tracks.

I want good doctors, but high school counselors should talk about the construction trades because we need the hospital to be built, too. Every one of us is critically important.”

Countering this notion takes time and consistent messaging. Dan Puente, founder and CEO of DP Electric, says there is no quick fix. He estimates it could take BYFAZ anywhere from 9 to 12 years to make serious inroads.

“We’re pushing back against

“Folks don’t understand the opportunities available in construction. A lot of people in the industry make six figures, and that’s what Build Your Future Arizona is trying to convey to the public.”

— Dan Puente

60-plus years of a narrative that says you need to go to college to be successful,” Puente notes. “Folks don’t understand the opportunities available in construction. A lot of people in the industry make six figures, and that’s what Build Your Future Arizona is trying to convey to the public.”

Indeed, the trades can be a lucrative vocation. What most people fear, Sanders explains, is that they won’t have any upward mobility. “Just because you start as a welder doesn’t mean that you have to weld your whole life. You could transition to welding design, which would require some additional education,” he says.

Some people may even take a similar path to Puente, who opened his own business. “Through the support of my wife, I started DP Electric in 1990. I wanted to create something in which I could thrive, and others could flourish as well. That’s why we started our own apprenticeship program with more than 100 people enrolled. We don’t overlook anybody.”

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BUILD YOUR FUTURE

Puente adds that there is an effort in Arizona to have a completed apprenticeship recognized as equivalent to an associate degree, which he believes could help reluctant parents see the benefits of the trades.

“That would show that an apprenticeship is an education in a career, in the same way as getting a degree in accounting. It’s about acknowledging the value of the time invested in learning something,” he says.

CAREER FOCUSED One of the primary arenas for BYF Arizona is high schools. Career and technical education have experienced a revival on Arizona campuses, with programs such as skilled trades and automotive mechanics returning to the course catalog. And, unlike the past, they are typically attached to one or more certifications that students can leverage for gainful employment.

Moreover, the Arizona Legislature created career technical education districts (CTEDs) in 1990 to further support trades education. There are 14 of these districts across the state, with Western Maricopa Education Center (West-MEC) and East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT) covering most of Greater Phoenix.

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“We partner with West-MEC and EVIT to get in front of students and talk firsthand about careers in construction — what they’re like, the demand for them and potential salaries for different positions,” Sanders explains. “We can show them how what they’re learning leads to a career.”

Build Your Future Arizona is also launching an ambassador program in the first quarter of 2022. Sanders say that BYF Arizona is recruiting industry professionals to speak with students in the classroom, at lunch tables and during career fairs.

“We’re trying to enlist folks who have enough experience behind them to show that they’re on a solid career path, but who don’t look like they’re ready to retire. That way, students can see them and think, ‘I don’t have to wait until I’m my parent’s age to earn a six-figure income,’” he notes.

Build Your Future Arizona also targets adults who are interested in a career transition.

“There are more than 20,000 Arizonans who lost their jobs in the food service and hospitality industries because of COVID-19. And yet, those people still need to work,” Sanders says.

If someone is looking to get into construction, Sanders will schedule a

consultation, during which he’ll ask about the individual’s background and work experience to help identify what talents he or she might already possess.

“Are you more interested in the skilled craft side such as carpentry?

Or are you looking at relating your acquired knowledge to support roles relating to construction? I get that feel first, then we get down into what division of construction makes sense,” Sanders explains.

Once a good fit is determined, Sanders takes the applicant’s resume and reaches out to the recruiters at one of the 57 companies that have invested in BYFAZ. “We have a career center with connections to about 400 jobs on it at a time. I try to align the person with the organization I think they would best connect with, since many companies hire for cultural fit,” he continues.

Even though BYF Arizona helps people connect to careers, Puente notes that the initiative is more about awareness.

“We’re building the momentum to make construction a first choice for people. We have to work hard to change the perception for both students and parents,” he concludes. “That’s going to take some time. The industry is finally coming around and getting engaged, but I think we can do more.”

BUILD YOUR FUTURE

Building a Skilled Workforce How one construction firm creates awareness and opportunity through BYFA

By KYLE BACKER

M

ike McCrery, vice president of 3-G Construction, has sawdust in his blood. His father, Larry McCrery, started the family-owned and -operated business in 1974 as a small framing company.

Over the years, 3-G Construction has grown to provide rough and trim carpentry as well as operate Pueblo Lumber Company.

“We’ve built schools, hospitals and more than 100,000 houses in the Valley. With our hardworking team, we’ve been able to have a big part in the growth of Metro Phoenix area,” McCrery says. “When you’re a carpenter, you are a creator. It’s a very satisfying profession. I can drive around town and identify the projects on which I had hammer in hand and created opportunities for people

64 | January-February 2022

who are building families, getting an education or receiving treatment.”

Even though construction careers offer dignified and financially rewarding work, the sector is experiencing a labor shortage. Build Your Future Arizona (BYFAZ) estimates that 254,830 craft professionals are needed in Arizona by December 2024.

That’s why McCrery and 3-G Construction got involved with BYFAZ after being introduced to the initiative three years ago.

“Build Your Future helps the general Arizona population understand more about the construction industry and what it has to offer individuals in terms of employment, career stability and income earning opportunities,” he says.

Over the past few decades, there has been a trend in high schools across

the nation to emphasize attending college as the sole path for students.

While institutions such as WestMEC, the East Valley Institute of Technology and the Pima JTED Career and Technical Education District have promoted the need for greater trades education in Arizona high schools, they are pushing back against a university-centric approach that has been dominating post-secondary planning for a generation.

“There’s still a lot of work to do,” McCrery says. “Too often, our educational system deems the trades as a fallback in case individuals don’t want to become doctors, attorneys or programmers. There are a lot of opportunities to inform educators so they know that construction is more than a backup plan.”

BUILD YOUR FUTURE TALENT PIPELINE There’s no denying that most construction work is, as McCrery describes it, “hot, hard and heavy.” He says that honesty about the nature of the job is crucial in the hiring process, since the cost of onboarding is extensive. The toll on an employee’s body is greater than in retail or restaurant jobs.

However, a clearer career path exists for those in the trades than in many other fields. McCrery argues that the number of workers who climb their way up from laborer to superintendent is far greater than fast food employees who get promoted to management positions.

“The conversion timeframe is so much shorter than other sectors. We can bring in a laborer, and he can be a foreman within two and a half years.

His income could go from $30,000 to $70,000 over that period,” McCrery notes. “There is no other industry out there that you start with no knowledge and can make $70,000 in fewer than three years. We pay to transform someone from unskilled to skilled labor, and whichever company is most proficient at those conversions wins.”

Beyond educating Arizonans about the opportunities available in construction, BYFAZ connects people willing to do the challenging work required to start a career in the field.

When an interested applicant is put in contact with 3-G Construction, McCrery says that he will walk them through the available jobs after the interview.

“We usually let them make the decision, and we find a fit on a crew or in a department that is close to where they live,” he explains. “Then they start their journey in our company.

They go through orientation and safety training, and then their foreman will teach and train them on the job.”

McCrery estimates that 3-G Construction has received about 20 vetted applicants through BYFAZ’s talent pipeline.

SUCCESS STORIES TJ Duncan was hired by 3-G Construction in May 2021 after working in retail for several years.

“I was tired of working part-time at a dead-end job. The money wasn’t 66 | January-February 2022

“The conversion timeframe is so much shorter than other sectors. We can bring in a laborer, and he can be a foreman within two and a half years. His income could go from $30,000 to $70,000 over that period,” — Mike McCrery

right, and things had to change,” Duncan says. “I saw an ad for Build Your Future Arizona on Facebook and decided to give it a try. They set me on the right track and matched me with different jobs based on my interests and location.”

Duncan works in the door shop making bulkheads and shutters that trim carpenters install out in the field.

He enjoys the work he does and the security it brings. “I was able to afford another vehicle so my other half and I could get to work. Our necessities are met versus struggling from paycheck to paycheck,” he says.

Similarly, Warren Begay stumbled upon BYFAZ serendipitously.

After receiving an email about an upcoming workshop on construction

job opportunities, Begay decided to attend with his girlfriend. He enjoyed a building trades class he took in high school but had been working fulltime as a personal shopper for online customers at Walmart.

Today, Begay frames houses for 3-G Construction and finds the process intriguing.

“I like working with my hands and seeing the things I build from beginning to the end. People say, “You should do something you like, and you’ll enjoy every day of it.’ A lot of times, the whole day passes by without me noticing,” he remarks. “I see a future doing this. My foreman says it’s important to learn all the small stuff before I move up, but that I could be where he’s at in a couple of years.”

McCrery agrees that adopting a long-term perspective is key for both new employees and potential investor companies in the BYF Arizona initiative, although he admits he wishes he had more employees coming through the pipeline.

“The investment that we make in Build Your Future Arizona is not just for the 10 new hires over the past two years,” he concludes. “We’re grateful for them, but it’s also about changing the perception and reputation of the construction industry as a whole.”

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BUILD YOUR FUTURE

Collaborative Advantage Industry organizations are key to spreading awareness

By KYLE BACKER

C

onstruction is a team sport.

The expertise needed to safely and efficiently bring a project across the finish line requires intense coordination between all players in the field. Today, the industry is facing an issue that affects everyone in the business — a labor shortage.

“There’s a much greater awareness that this is not a temporary blip. If we don’t fix it, it could last for quite a long time, especially when you look at the portion of the workforce that is aging out over the next decade,” says Suzanne Kinney, president and CEO of the Arizona Chapter of NAIOP. “Developers are realizing that this is not a one-off problem with a particular contractor. It’s happening to all of them. That’s capturing the attention

68 | January-February 2022

of investors, who are sinking a lot of money into projects and need to start realizing returns within a reasonable and predictable amount of time.”

That’s why NAIOP became a partner of Build Your Future Arizona (BYFAZ), an initiative from Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation focused on spreading awareness about pathways in the trades and helping people transition into a construction career.

“The whole concept with Build Your Future is to get in front of potential students and individuals and encourage them transition or work in the construction industry,” explains Paul Sanders, workforce development manager for the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation. He notes that two groups are integral to the mission

of BYFAZ: investors and partners. The former are companies that make an annual financial commitment between $5,000 and $50,000.

Partners, on the other hand, are organizations that have a vested interest in the construction industry and agree to spread the word about BYFAZ to their members.

“Industry associations such as NAIOP encourage their members to become investors. More people are recognizing that we need to feed and nurture this talent pipeline, or it’s going to hobble everyone,” Sanders says.

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BUILD YOUR FUTURE

Tom Dunn

to her about the initiative. She was immediately interested since the shortage of skilled workers is one of the primary pain points she hears from general and subcontractors.

“But it really doesn’t end there,” she points out. “If the contractors can’t get the skilled workers they need to complete a project, that will result in delays and increased costs for developers and investors as well, who form the largest segment of our membership.”

In June 2021, NAIOP finalized its partnership with BYFAZ. While the initiative does a good job at reaching out to contractors, Kinney notes that she’s able to provide introductions to NAIOP members who are not yet investors.

“Attracting those dollars helps amplify the message. If we’re only reaching a few kids, we’re not going to make much progress in terms of the labor shortage. We need to get into high schools and community colleges, as well as connect with young adults who may have jobs but not careers,” she says.

Tom Dunn, president of Arizona Builders Alliance (ABA), says that his organization’s relationship with BYFAZ gives the initiative access to more than 325 companies that make up ABA and represent a broad range of the industry.

“With our partnership with Build Your Future Arizona, we’re looking to provide pathways to construction careers. These can range from introductory jobs all the way to architects and engineers,” he explains. “It’s a huge swath of people we’re chasing after so they can see what’s available to them.”

Another organization that recently partnered with BYFAZ is Western Electrical Contractors Association (WECA).

In January 2021, the association opened 70 | January-February 2022

Michelle Gilkey

Suzanne Kinney

its first apprenticeship training facility in Phoenix.

“Our founding member contractor in Arizona, Corbins Electric, is involved with Build Your Future Arizona and connected us with them,” says Michelle Gilkey, director of marketing, learning and product for WECA. “We felt an alliance with their mission — this idea of creating a sustainable skilled craft workforce and expanding awareness around training opportunities.

Because we provide a career path with our apprenticeship program, it was a natural match.”

SHARING RESPONSIBILITY The source of the current demand for construction labor, according to Dunn, dates back to 2008 when the Great Recession ravaged the economy. “About one third of our workforce disappeared, and it hasn’t come back. Because of that, combined with the number of Baby Boomers who are retiring, there is huge opportunity in the industry for advancement. Once we can explain this to the younger generation, they can see the possibilities and the pathway to success.”

Kinney notes that there is a chasm present in the market right now. “You have people who aren’t on a sustainable career path, and then there are all these open positions. I think there’s growing recognition that solving this problem is going to fall on employers and schools and, of course, there’s always individual responsibility,” she says.

“But we can’t leave it to individuals to figure it out on their own. People need the information and resources to understand what they must do to gain the necessary skills.”

Paul Sanders

The apprenticeship program offered through WECA is one example of how BYFAZ connects Arizonans with careers. Gilkey explains that if someone shows interest in becoming an electrician, he or she would likely be funneled to WECA. “What’s great about apprenticeships versus the community college route or a different electrical training program is that apprentices get their tuition completely paid for by their member contractor,” she says. “Throughout the four-year program, they’re also earning full-time pay.”

Sanders adds that part of BYFAZ’s messaging is helping students and parents understand that an apprenticeship is an education akin to going to college but with some distinct advantages.

“If a young person starts an apprenticeship at the same time his or her friend starts going to Arizona State University, studies show that the person in the skilled craft will be making $5,000 more in the job they currently have compared with what the friend with the four-year degree will be making in a first job out of college. Plus, the apprentice is debt-free,” he says.

Ultimately, getting the message out will take time. Kinney notes that most people need to see an advertisement seven times before it registers with them.

“It’s important for us to continue amplifying this message through multiple channels and make sure that the target audience is going to receive the message in a way that resonates with them,” she concludes. “That’s how we connect with the people who will benefit from these careers and help everyone involved in the industry as a result.”

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