‘I Should Just Do It Myself’

In talking with construction supervisors throughout the state, there is a common frustration with the latest generation of entry-level workers. It is not unusual for a newer foreman, crew leader or supervisor to lament that the job would be completed faster and better if they just did all the work themselves. While it is easy to sympathize with the sentiment, the job of those in supervisory roles is to work through others to accomplish goals. This points to a crisis within the construction industry.

The economic downturn of the past several years caused a mass exodus of skilled workers and supervisors due to retirements and other factors. This left our industry unprepared at every level. To compound matters, national and state employment rates are at historic lows, with far more job openings than available workers.

At the same time, the need for construction services is at an all-time high. According to a Brookings Institute Study, nearly half of what will be the built environment in 2030 doesn’t exist yet.

Most ABC of Wisconsin contractors are turning to apprenticeship to fill the skills gap at the entry-level, but what is available at the supervisory level? Employers have been promoting their best journeymen to supervisory-level positions. Often, this is a good solution because it recognizes loyal employees and allows them to move up.

There can be a problem with this approach, however. A talented skilled trades person does not necessarily make a good supervisor. With the pool of potential mentors gone, the new supervisor is often on his/her own to learn a completely new set of skills. Often the new supervisor does not know how to work with and support the next generation of entry-level employees.

Enter ABC of Wisconsin’s Construction U Management Education programs. Over the past three years, your association has been developing high-quality, proven programs to address the educational needs of construction supervisory and management teams.