This past spring, I had the opportunity to attend the National Craft Competition hosted by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) in Long Beach, California. Hundreds of craft workers filled up the convention center, competing through written exams and hands-on demonstrations of their technical skills. It’s an impressive sight to see the best of our industry’s next generation of talent bring their greatest skillsets to the table. Competitions like these will no doubt be a valuable tool for these young leaders as they continue to refine their skillsets.
The highlight of my trip was spending some time with a few of our student competitors from Louisiana. For some, traveling to this ABC National Craft Competition was the first time they flew on a plane. As you can imagine, their enthusiasm and energy was apparent (and contagious) as we discussed their new careers in the industry.
One young student welder particularly stands out in my mind. At the post-competition celebration, he recapped his experience for me. He was immensely proud of his trade, supremely confident in his technical abilities as a welder and excited about his future in the construction industry. His bravado matched that of a professional NBA trash-talker in his prime; he could make any weld, from any position, no matter the weather. He sheepishly admitted that he could have done better on the written exam part of the competition, but his swagger quickly returned as we discussed the hands-on welding competition and what employers really looked for in a welder. This young man only wanted to be judged on his actual welding ability, which he assured all within earshot was demonstrably superior to his peers’, if x-ray testing had been used.
Cockiness aside, this young craftsman represented the future of our industry well at the National Craft Competition. He spoke passionately about the right to be judged solely on your merits, to compete freely in the marketplace and to be compensated fairly for skilled work.
This young welder also described enthusiastically his employer’s commitment to developing the next generation of craft workers in the industrial construction industry. He shared that competing employers might offer him slightly higher wages in the future, but he would remain loyal to the company who initially chose to invest in his future by sending him to a quality training program.
I wish I could further convey the potential and the heart that I experienced during this conversation with the young welder and at ABC’s national competition. The future of our industry is bright, and we must keep training, mentoring and supporting young leaders like these to ensure it remains bright.
I encourage you to get involved in developing the next generation of skilled craft workers, whether it is at a local high school, a community or technical college, or a nonprofit like your local chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors. There are countless ways to actively participate: provide financial support, serve on a curriculum advisory committee, offer internships or apprenticeships, consider mentoring young leaders in the industry, or provide in-kind contributions of equipment or consumables, etc.
When you choose to get involved, you and your company will be doing your part to ensure a vibrant future for our industry. In the long run, it will help your company’s bottom line, but perhaps more importantly, it will provide a pathway for those young men and women who are confident in their abilities and just need one company to believe in them.
For more information, call David Helveston, president and CEO of the ABC Pelican Chapter, at (225) 753- 2590 or email him at dhelveston@abcpelican.com, or contact Russell Hamley, president of ABC of Greater Houston, at (713) 523-6ABC [6222] or email him at r.hamley@abchouston.org.