Answers to Unasked Questions
Date Posted: September 19, 2014
Posted In: Discussion, News, Workforce,
by Tom Finan, Executive Director, Construction Forum STL.
This article will give you the answers to questions on workforce diversity that were never asked at the recent Construction Forum STL quarterly event.
On Sept. 9, over 450 people filled the chairs and the back of the auditorium at the Moto Museum for our program, “Boots on the Ground: What Will It Take.” We had a plan. The presenters had met for two hours the week before and shared and discussed the messages that they had to impart. We had asked for, and received, some great questions from registrants.
Our plan was to ask those questions first, then go to questions from the floor. But those questions never got asked.
In football parlance, I called an audible: With that large and diverse a crowd, at a particularly sensitive time in St. Louis history, it seemed to me it would be a mistake to begin by creating the impression that everything had been scripted in advance. The Forum, after all, is about making a room large enough for everybody to participate in discussions of our big issues. So instead of using the questions that were queued on PowerPoint slides, we started with questions from the audience.
What happened next, also in football parlance, was a busted play, and this quarterback got sacked: We never got to the submitted questions. While our panelists were able to impart some of what they hoped to share , a lot of the message got sidetracked in the emotion and rehashing of past issues that has spilled over our region in recent weeks.
So, after reviewing the play, we thought it would be a good idea to share with you the responses that our panelists would have given, had they been asked the questions.
Presenters were Scott Wilson, CEO of S.M. Wilson Co.; John Gaal, EdD, director of training and workforce development at the Carpenters’ District Council of Greater St. Louis and Vicinity; Greg Mohler, BJC HealthCare vice president, Planning, Design & Construction; and Tommy L. Davis, president of TD4. Moderating the panel was Byron Witherspoon, managing executive, supplier diversity, at Ameren. Witherspoon is also a member of the board of advisors of Construction Forum STL.
They generously gave of their time to prepare their answers. Scott Wilson emailed and called me from a long-overdue vacation in Scotland. John Gaal emailed his responses from Switzerland, where he has been researching the Swiss model of workforce training that challenges whether “college for all” is an appropriate paradigm. Greg Mohler took time out from his work running the biggest construction program in our region. Tommy Davis answered the questions in the middle of a period where he was furiously bidding work.
Here are their answers. We hope you will take them time to read them. If you have further questions of any of our panelists, please email me at tom@constructforstl.org and I will forward them.
Construction Forum STL’s Board of Advisors meets on Oct. 2. We will review the Sept. 9 program at that meeting. Future presentations on diversity will be among the topics on our agenda. If you have questions, constructive criticism, or ideas you’d like to share, please email me , or call me at 314.224.5226.
The Unasked Questions
Question 1.) —What are perceived barriers to entry in gaining employment in A/E/C industry?
Scott Wilson: Education! Education! Education is certainly a barrier. On the craft side, opportunities are limited by overall availability of work in the community. We are not a very robust and/or growing community currently.
Question 2.) — Greg and/or Scott…the ACW led Campus Renewal Project is an excellent opportunity to introduce many minority apprentices to our industry and work them through the entire apprentice program—is that goal a high priority with ACW and BJC and if so, can you comment as to how that is currently being addressed?
Scot Wilson: We are writing minority apprentice goals into the subcontracts for the project and the percentage varies with the scope of work and size of the contract.
Greg Mohler: Yes this is a high priority. The PMO will work closely with ACW on aligning the right balance of apprentices to the specific trades which is actually outlined in the National Maintenance Agreement (NMA) for the project. BJC and ACW are also working with the AGC Construction Careers Center (CCC) on aligning appropriate internships on the Campus Renewal Project.
Question 3.) — As a collective body, can we put pressure on owners to create additional criteria for awarding projects? For example, RFP responders can demonstrate how they will hire and train underemployed or unemployed workforce they rank higher than someone who does not.
Scott Wilson: Lots of arms and legs on this one. Saying isn’t doing and how can an owner know with certainty that the contractor will execute as he’s indicated? Also, what about those of us who rely primarily on subcontractors? The responsibility will be passed to the sub and again saying isn’t doing. Like I said, lots of arms and legs.
Tommy Davis: Push for the opportunity. Deliver once you get it. Make the process seamless and be time and cost conscious.
Question 4.) — I have heard one of the panelists speak about the BUD program in another venue. A term that continues to pop-up is the St. Louis Tsunami. What does this term refer to and how is it related to today’s forum topic?
Greg Mohler: I have been engaged in numerous discussions with the AGC and the Carpenters leadership outlining the BUD program and as an owner support this program and approach. It is refreshing to know that currently eight (8) trades have signed up and are going to be a part of the program. From an owner’s perspective all the trades should be engaged and participating in the BUD program.
John Gaal: In mid-January of 2014, three significant events occurred pertaining to the STL construction industry:
- ACCESS (Association for Construction Careers, Education and Support Services) shut down;
- CPC (Construction Prep Center) was mothballed; and
- (The most important of all, in my opinion) Kem Mosley, due to financial issues, walked away from the Minority Contractors Initiative.
I have since referred to the above as the St. Louis Tsumani!
That said, Jeff Aboussie, executive secretary-treasurer, St. Louis Building and Construction Trades Council (BCTC), gathered a handful of the basic trades to discuss how to address the recent void created in the STL construction region. Why? Because in the past, some of the trades relied on these three entities for the services they provided to the minority and construction communities.
Having empirical data from the MoDOT I-64 project, these trades quickly agreed that is was time they ALL stepped up to the plate and fill this void. After all, who better can train bricklayers than the Bricklayers, etc.? Over the next few months, with the assistance of Dr. Tim Keane at SLU’s Cook School of Business, the BCTC recruited seven trades and developed what is known as the BUD (Building Union Diversity) program with the input from various industry stakeholders.
Question 5.) — What does the pipeline of trained workforce look like for the next 12-24 months coming out of training or apprenticeship programs?
John Gaal: Speaking on behalf of the STL Carpenters Joint Apprenticeship Program, we have increased enrollment about 19% in the past 12 months or so. As the economy (slowly) recovers, we have seen an increase in our residential apprenticeship enrollments. Nonetheless, unless and until work continues to move in a positive direction, recruiting and retention will remain this industry’s Achilles Heel.
Tommy Davis: Speaking to Electricians IBEW Local 1, I know that they have one of the highest percentage (30%) apprentice classes they have ever had running right now.
Question 6.) — Scott…your firm is engaged on one of the most exciting retail projects to hit our city in a long time and with an owner that values and demands diversity and inclusion. Is S.M.Wilson seizing this opportunity with this project and with this owner to provide opportunities for both workers and for minority owned firms?
Scott Wilson: As it stands now, S. M. Wilson will meet/exceed the goals for the M/WBE Business participations. We are meeting regularly with our subs to ensure we are successful with the “boots on the ground” goals as well.
Question 7.) — Tommy…with TD4 being a minority firm, is it easier for your firm to find minority workers? I was wondering what percentage of your workforce is minority?
NO, but we have done it successfully because we have worked at it.
We are just south of 40% minority and we have 2 minority apprentices
Due the fact TD4 is an IBEW Local 1 member we have to hire from the hiring hall. This does limit our direct ability to hire minorities and women. With that said, IBEW Local 1 has gone out of their way to help TD4 find quality minorities and women. They have even started a Pre-Apprentice (PA) program that has allowed TD4 to hire several minorities that had no previous experience in the industry.
Please note: each one of the PAs has been accepted into the formal apprenticeship program. It is not any easy road. There needs to be a three-way commitment: Owner Requirements, MBE Contractor Commitment, and Local Union Cooperation.
Question 8.) – John…what can we do as general contractors in this city to help you be wildly successful with your new BUD program?
John Gaal: Hire our graduates from the BUD program! I believe the ultimate measure must be outcomes-based. Enrolling 15 students is an input…graduating 15 students is an output. The ONLY factor that matters in the short run is how many graduates are indentured within 60 days of graduating. However, in the long term, graduating more people of color and women from the RAPs will be the game-changer. Why? Because only then can a person entering the industry from a non-traditional ethnic/economic background make a decision to become a legitimate contractor. Without more role models we will continue to get what we always got!
Question 9. ) – John….what sort of programs do the various unions have that are geared towards the effort of finding construction work for minorities? Seems to me we make it virtually impossible for a minority to enter our industry and yet we keep screaming we want more boots on the ground? Do you see any changes coming?
John Gaal: Each joint apprenticeship committee (JAC) performs outreach to attract women and minorities. Some more than others. A few constantly experiment with new efforts to overcome the stigma in our region.
Questions and comments like those above reveal the disconnect in our industry and the community. People who are truly dedicated to resolving the diversity challenge participate in the various (legitimate) diversity efforts in the Greater St. Louis area (i.e., attending career fairs, serving on related boards and committees, mentoring, etc.). If one was actively engaged she/he would have heard my colleagues and me comment that the unions do NOT hire workers, on a regular basis.
Finally, yes, I do see things changing for the better. The BUD program is the first coordinated effort by the trades since the MoDOT I-64 project. However, the difference this time is that the trades will self-perform their respective pre-apprenticeship training portions. (Not to mention, the Carpenters have partnered with St. Louis Community College since 2012 to deliver a German-style apprenticeship program in Advanced Manufacturing at McCluer High School in the Ferguson-Florissant School District.)
Question 10.) – Scott…how tough is it for S.M. Wilson to bring in a minority laborer or carpenter on a project. In all likelihood you have good carpenters and laborers who have worked with your firm previously. There may be even good friends of current workers, sitting at home waiting for a call. Do your field workers accept the minority worker stepping into his or her place?
Scott: Wilson It is not tough to bring on a minority or female workers. It is tough to bring on any new worker when we have employees who have been with S. M. Wilson for many years and are not working.
Question 11. ) — Some claim that minority workers are few in number and are hard to find. Yet I know several African American men and women in our trades that cannot find a job and are met with resistance when they call around to the many majority firms in St. Louis. Do you have any suggestions that you may pass on to these workers in search of employment?
Tommy Davis: I can only speak knowledgeably to the electrical trade. They can call Frank Jacobs IBEW Local #1 Business Manager. Or they can call my office and I will do my best to steer them in the right direction.
Scott: Wilson: Tenacity! Tenacity! Tenacity!
Question 12.) — Some communities may suffer unemployment rates above 20-30%. What are some innovative ways the community can collaborate to increase employment in highly distressed areas?
Scott Wilson: Start a community employment website. All companies in the community can post their job openings. We need to come together and share with each other.
Tommy Davis: My guess is between SLATE and the partnership they have with BUD some outreach\job fairs in those areas could be helpful.
Question 13.) — There was a very enlightening article in the Washington Post recently spotlighting the multiple negative issues we have in our city stemming from the unfathomable number of individual municipalities, all with their individual police forces, courts, judges, etc…all in need of fines to support their being. Can we ever hope to solve our problems in our construction industry without addressing this absurd way of handling our governing of those we want to put to work? Without significant change, requiring this panel and many others in this room, to actually do something, will anything really be different next year at this time should we hold this same meeting?
Tommy Davis: Can’t knowledgeably speak to government or demographics, but as I mentioned on the panel we all have to be prepared to take baby steps. i.e “Rome wasn’t built in a day”. I’m confident we can be in better place next year this time if our next steps are focused and include accountability and matrix.
Scott Wilson: If we hold the same meeting, it needs to be structured differently. Opening up the meeting to questions in the beginning left at lot of information that was not covered. Also, start on time and have it at a different venue.