INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE Out Educate, Out Build, Out Innovate By Gary T. Smith
“Out Educate, Out Build, Out Innovate” was the title of a recent National Educa- tion and Action Summit I attended orga- nized by the U.S. Department of Labor. Its focus was to refl ect on the important contributions of registered apprenticeship programs on the 75th anniversary of the signing of the National Apprentice- ship Act. I was thrilled to participate in this important summit. Since I returned from Washington, D.C., I’ve been thinking about the title and how it applies to my company, Thomas Phoenix International. With regards to “Out Build,” I would pit my
Thomas Phoenix crews against any in the world. I know my men are superior: they are highly skilled, highly professional and committed to their trade. They are skilled craftsmen who know how to deliver complex pre-engineered buildings. The Thomas Phoenix team all subscribe to a code that Jim Owen, author of “Cowboy Ethics,” calls the “Code of the West:”
• Live each day with courage • Take pride in your work • Always fi nish what you start • Do what has to be done • Be tough but fair • When you make a promise, keep it • Ride for the brand • Talk less, say more • Remember that some things aren’t for sale • Know where to draw the line
As I attend industry meetings, events
and conferences, I come in contact with many other similarly skilled erectors. I am as proud of their accomplishments as I am of my crews’; together we instill pride in our trade. “Out Innovate” is evident in every page
of this magazine. Check out the new product offerings. Metal building manufacturers, insula- tion specialists, roofi ng and siding companies continue to develop new materials and sys- tems that are truly revolutionary. I always look forward to wandering the hall at METALCON; it is always a thrill to see what new products and inventions are coming our way. I continue to be awed by the power of the metal building industry’s ingenuity. The Thomas Phoenix
teams enjoy learning how to install and use these cutting-edge new systems. “Out Educate” continues to be a challenge
for me. I am committed to training and education. I believe passionately in apprenticeship. I chair the Apprenticeship Committee for the Metal Buildings Institute. I have personally developed several course modules for use in our apprenticeship program. How- ever, I sometimes feel I am fi ghting with one arm tied behind my back. There are not enough quality training programs available. Technical schools, if they still exist, have changed their focus. I had to cobble together the 296 hours of “related instruction” for our apprenticeship program from a variety of sources. Unfortunately, this lack of readily available training and education is a key contributor to the lack of skilled workers our industry so desperately needs. John Ratzenberger (yeah, the guy from Cheers)
wrote in a recent article for
Investors.com: “America faces a crisis of epic proportions.
The U.S. Department of Labor forecasts that by 2012, there will be a shortfall of nearly 3 million skilled worker positions in America. The average
age of skilled workers in many trades is 54-56 years old, and as this veteran group retires, there are not enough trained workers to replace them. Today's shortage sharply reduces the growth of U.S. gross domestic product—certainly not a help in the current economy. “Truth is high-profi le athletes and entertain-
ers are nonessential. If all the celebrities like me disappeared overnight, it would be sad, but the world would continue with little disruption. But if plumbers, electricians, welders, carpenters, lathe operators, truck drivers and other ‘essentials’ dis- appeared, our country would grind to a halt. “Michelangelo couldn't have gone to work
until someone built that ceiling.” I salute all in the trades for having the skill and
knowledge to build that ceiling and encourage com- panies to consider apprenticeship. Apprenticeship is the time-tested system of passing critical skills from one generation to the next. It is the premier model for training and educating a workforce. It is a highly structured, in-depth vehicle for developing highly skilled workers to your specifi cations. It is industry driven. It is the insurance a business needs now more than ever to ensure you have an ongoing stream of talent. It will maximize pro- ductivity, reduce turnover, increase the level of safety while reducing workers compensa- tion costs and foster loyalty and dependability in your employees. This is an open plea to all companies that
erect pre-engineered buildings. Our industry needs you to take an active leadership role in the training and development of your crews. In doing so, you will play a pivotal role in the future of this great country and ensure we continue to provide ceilings worthy of the next Michelangelo. Don’t know how to get started? Just drop me a line.
Gary T. Smith is president of Thomas Phoenix International Inc., Eastampton, N.J. He serves as chairman of the Apprenticeship Committee for the Metal Buildings Institute, the educational arm of the Metal Building Contractors and Erectors Association. To learn more, visit MBI at
www.metal-buildings-
institute.org or call (800) 866-6722.
www.metalconstructionnews.com
December 2012
METAL CONSTRUCTION NEWS 9
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