BUILDING CONNECTIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY

In September, O’Shea Builders and Solid Ground Solutions embarked on a Minority Workforce Networking pilot initiative to “cross-connect” networks of the minority community with networks of the construction industry.

The idea of “cross-connecting” came from William Bishop, owner of Solid Ground Solutions, and O’Shea Superintendent Zach Hogan. Both men saw a need to help minorities enter the construction field.

For William, he was honored to “pay it forward” with this initiative.

“I really wanted to help with these networking sessions because O’Shea extended a ladder that allowed my business to grow, and I wanted to do the same and provide that ladder to people in my community,” he said.

In this first pilot group, there are seven participants who attended week­ly sessions to introduce them to the different trade unions and construction firms.

The participants learned the following each week:

• Various trades available.
• Scope of work performed by each trade (including hands-on learning).
• Benefits packages offered by each trade.
• Career path from apprentice to journeyman.
• Additionally, participants meet key union trade representatives, fellow minority workers in the trades, and construction company representatives that hire each trade.

By the end of the learning sessions, the goal was that the participants will have the knowledge they need to make a commitment to a trade union. Tarence Readus, Lamond McCray, and Aaron Power, three participants from the pilot group, agreed they met that goal, and according to them, the greatest takeaways have been learning what each trade offers and growing their professional networks. As for trades they’re most interested in, Lamond and Aaron are interested in the Carpenters Union, while Tarence is interested in the Laborers and Electricians Unions.

For Lamond, he’s most excited for the potential opportunities he has for the future. “I’ve built several new connections and have new career choices to pursue, which might include something in carpentry,” he said.

And as new grads of this initiative, all three men shared one piece of advice for those interested in joining the Minority Network: “Just do it.”

According to Vice President Tyler Cormeny, the end goal represents a potential benefit to our communi­ty and the industry. “Our industry is experiencing shortages in manpower within the trade unions, and there are minority workers looking for opportuni­ties to grow as professionals.”

He continues, “As such, our goal is to create a network of relationships that can be leveraged to connect unem­ployed or underemployed persons with opportunities to create or advance a career in the construction industry.”

As the Minority Workforce Network gains traction, Zach hopes to continue the momentum and make this a beneficial experience for every participant.

“An initiative like this is so important because not everyone knows about the amazing opportunities in the trades. I’m fortunate to have had family mem­bers in the trades who shared their experiences with me. I hope to do the same thing for the Minority Workforce Networking efforts and share my knowledge and experience,” he said.

We would like to thank all of the trade partners and union partners that helped make the Minority Workforce Network a success. Each one of the participants have decided to join a trade and we are excited to continue supporting them as they start their new careers.