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Futuristic Ways to Connect and How to Register for Virtual Fieldtrips
Futuristic Ways to Connect & How to Register for Virtual Fieldtrips
BY ADAM DOBRASKA MEMBER SERVICES ASSOCIATE
One of our newest and most innovative ways to attract new workers is the use of our Build Iowa Virtual Reality (V/R) program. The V/R program is a great way to showcase the industry without having to physically be on the jobsite. Students are receptive to technology in any form or fashion, and this is a way for us to reach this demographic of future employees as they are gearing up for the workforce. The sky is the limit in terms of how far this program and technology can advance the commercial construction industry, especially when it comes to the future of workforce.
Once again, were fortunate to show MBI members the technology firsthand at our Annual Winter Conference. They were able to take a virtual fieldtrip through the V/R headsets. These virtual fieldtrips included going to jobsites and seeing what each occupation entailed. The trades jobs that I was able to expose members to include project manager, ironworker, mason, electrician, drywaller, HVAC technician, heavy equipment operator, and plumber/pipefitter; all within a virtual environment. Everyone that experienced the V/R program was thoroughly impressed, and loved that facts about each job popped up on the screen while they were using the headsets. If you are interested in making sure that students have the opportunity to go on virtual fieldtrips in your local community, please contact me at ADoBraska@MBI.Build or at 515-777-5054 to get registered. Also, you can go to the following link to register as well: https://mbi.build/ourservices/workforce-development/.
BY BEN HAMMES
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS BY BEN HAMMES DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
By the publishing of this article, the Legislature will be close or have already adjourned. In a time when it seems hyperbolic speech is attached to everything we do in our lives, this session for the State of Iowa and MBI can only be described as historic. That’s because we accomplished something that has not substantively been changed in the existence of our bidding laws.
Session began on Monday, January 10, 2022. As usual, Gov. Kim Reynolds conducted her Condition of the State on the following day where she released her budget to the public. The final adjournment date is always targeted for the 110th day of the calendar session.
As a reminder, prior to session, the Government Affairs Committee met and provided a set of recommendations that were ultimately approved by the MBI Board of Directors. Those recommendations provide the roadmap for MBI’s public affairs team. This year, our agenda was as follows:
2022 Legislative Report
Construction Manager At-Risk Legislation
Initial Position: MBI will continue to push our legislation from last year, Senate File 183 to final passage.
Outcome: We were able to get this passed and sent to the Governor’s desk. As of the publishing of this article, it awaits her signature and will go into effect on July 1, 2022.
Workforce Policy Reform
Initial Position: MBI will support any and all efforts to bolster participation in the construction workforce. This includes supporting efforts to recruit people to Iowa, while encouraging retraining and retaining workers for immediate employment.
Outcome: As of the publishing of this article, the House and Senate continue to debate on the necessary level of unemployment. A reduction from 26 weeks to 16 weeks seems very likely to pass.
2022 Legislative Report
Tax Reform
Initial Position: MBI will support efforts to lower personal and corporate taxes while encouraging transparent and stable reforms.
Outcome: Gov. Reynolds signed a historic tax reform bill in February that includes: • 3.9 percent individual, LLC, and S Corporation Rates • 5.5 Corporate Rates • 0 income tax on retirement income to include farm rental income for those who are 55 years old and meet other qualifications. • Cuts corporate tax credits to pay for the new corporate rate.
Initial Position: MBI has a long-standing principle of protecting precious RIIF (Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund) dollars. These are gambling revenue dollars used for public vertical infrastructure. We will continue to judicious and watch closely how the Legislature plans to spend these dollars.
Outcome: We remain encouraged that all the way to final passage, legislators will have adopted a waste-free RIIF budget bill.
Outside of the MBI priorities, there were some good policy advancements for the the business community at large. We played a small part in a lot of these advancements, whether it was speaking in subcommittee or lending support to a number of issues.
Moving forward....
The public affairs team will begin assembling the agenda for 2023. That begins with the Government Affairs Committee meeting this summer. Lastly, please mark your calendar and plan to participate in one of our MBI-PAC events:
Construction Golf Classic & Smoker
Monday, August 8, 2022
Eastern Iowa Sporting Clay Builders' Classic
Thursday, September 22, 2022
Central Iowa Sporting Clay Builders' Classic
Thursday, October 6, 2022
If you have any questions on the outcome of the session, please feel free to contact Ben Hammes at BHammes@MBI.Build. 15
2022 MBI-WORKS Endowment Recipients Announced
BY BEN HAMMES DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
At the 110th Annual Winter Conference, the MBI-WORKS Endowment, an MBI Endowment fund focused on addressing the commercial construction industry’s workforce needs, announced the 2022 Award Recipients. Earnings from the $5 million Endowment are being used to provide financial assistance through a grant solicitation process to programs and projects focused on increasing the number of people entering the commercial construction workforce and raising the awareness of the commercial construction industry and the career opportunities available in it.
MBI President & CEO Chad Kleppe stated, “As an industry that is an active participant in the war for talent and workers, we are taking direct action by investing our own resources into programs across the state that are focused on changing the landscape. The MBI-WORKS Endowment is excited to announce this round of funding for four very deserving programs. We are proud of the membership at MBI for making these strategic investments into programs that are creating opportunities for future generations of construction workers.”
The following projects have been announced as the 2022 Award Recipients:
MBI Submitting Member: Kingland Construction Services Non-Profit: Forest City YMCA John V. Hanson Career Center Forest City, Iowa Award: $76,050 These funds will remodel a storage space into the YSTC to provide a home for after school/summer programs to engage grades K-8 with experience in skilled trades. The programs will be offered at no charge and provide hands-on education in carpentry, mechanics, virtual welding, electrical/plumbing, and more. The YSTC will be used to develop skills that will benefit youth throughout their lives while sparking a passion for activities that may lead then down the skilled trades career path. The John V. Hanson Career Center will assist with curriculum design and provide speakers to ensure our participants get the highest quality education possible and serve as a conduit to higher level programs.
Master Builders of Iowa Workforce Opportunities Require Knowledge and Skills Endowment MBI Submitting Member: Turner Construction MBI Supporting Members: SME Mechanical, Architectural Arts, The Waldinger Corporation Non Profits: Southeast Polk Community High School Pleasant Hill, Iowa Award: $30,000 Our goal is to expose students to updates and modernized CNC equipment in our Industrial Technology labs. Advanced metal students would have the opportunity to become HAAS certified. Our partnership with Turner Construction and it’s trade partners along with SME Mechanical, The Waldinger Corporation and Architectural Arts will allow us to implement several pieces for student engagement. With our MBI partners, we will engage students with Site Tours, Ask the Expert, Job Shadowing, Educate the Educator, and Leadership Activities.
MBI Submitting Member: Portzen Construction MBI Supporting Member: Paulson Electric Non Profit: Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar, Iowa Award: $30,000 By utilizing TRANSFR’s VR Career Exploration simulations, NICC will offer a cost-effective solution to accurately portray construction job environments, on-the-job tasks (often prohibited to students for safety reasons) and outline pathways to students grades 7-12. VR headsets are portable with a builtin digital instructor, Simon, who coaches 1-on-1 through 26+ careers including construction, turning any classroom with wi-fi into an industry training facility. This removes the need to purchase industry supplies/equipment, matched academic CTE curriculum, and includes wraparound support such as staff onboarding training, ongoing technical support, and career placement/skills mastery tracking.
MBI Submitting Member: McGough MBI Supporting Member: Elder Corporation Non Profits: iJAG (Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates) Statewide Award: $50,000 This project’s focus is to enhance iJAG’s commercial construction pathway by investing in: • Relationships: commercial construction representatives will visit iJAG classrooms across the state and share information about the industry including workplace culture, wages, skills required and available training. • Relevant Understanding: project-based learning will support hands-on skills building for commercial construction careers. Competency demonstrations and job visits will help students see how classroom skills will contribute to commercial construction careers. • Rigorous Experience: internships, pre-apprenticeships, certifications and on-the-job training will help students acquire critical skills directly related to commercial construction.
MBI-WORKS operates as a charitable 501 (c)(3). MBI-WORKS has a Board of Directors who determines how earnings from the Endowment are allocated. Each year, the Endowment Board solicits proposals. The next round of funding is expected to open in the Summer of 2022 and you can check on our website for the RFP.
