Qualified Remodeler Magazine

JAN 2017

Qualified Remodeler helps independent remodeling firms to survive, become more professional and more profitable by providing must-have business information, namely best business practices, new product information and timely design ideas.

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relationships with a variety of local groups to cultivate new sources of construction workers and effectively mobilize people to address an outstanding issue. "How do we get that infor- mation to other chapters across the country so that they can tap into the same types of resources and build programs on a local level?" asks Dolores Davis, chairperson of the Workforce Development Taskforce for the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) in 2015 and the general manag- er of CG&S; Design-Build, a re- modeler based in Austin, Texas. "[It takes] time, effort and money to get the information to the people who need it," says Davis, who currently chairs the NARI Education Committee. e council intends to establish a database of training programs and other work- force development guidelines for association members, so they can access proven pipelines for new labor and collab- orate with each other to fill open positions on their staffs. Most contractors and companies, however, require constant prodding to fill out and submit any informa- tion they might have on useful training programs. Davis advises remodelers looking for skilled workers to become more familiar with the trade schools in their local areas. "Volunteer your time and get to know the staff there; that way, you have a direct [connection]," she says. Jennifer Johnson founded the Construction Trade School to be an educational hub for the industry and adopted a national approach mainly for outreach efforts. e nonprofit organization moved up its pilot program, a foreman training course, from April to February 2017 be- cause of demand from local contractors in Dallas, Texas, to prepare employees so they can take on additional jobs. "We knew from doing all the research and data col- lection that every single time somebody put up just a tiny school in one location, its effect was very limited," says Johnson, who has already received calls from places such as Houston, Chicago and New York City. "It was only producing a handful of students; it didn't get a lot of notoriety; [and] there wasn't a lot of backing behind it." After wrapping up its six-month pilot program, the school will launch courses in carpentry and audio vi- sual technology through a partnership with the Dallas Independent School District and Frazier House, a local nonprofit group. By 2018, Johnson hopes to institute Construction Trade School in several cities that can grad- uate 250 students every year through a repeatable process. "We're keeping the school compact; we're not going out and doing 60,000 square-foot facilities with a massive overhead," Johnson says. "We didn't find that it was very national nonprofit also offers its services to current and ex-offenders as well as veterans and other military person- nel. "Over the last six or seven months, on average, there have been 200,000 unfilled jobs in the residential construc- tion industry," Courson says. Many remodelers have been feeling that pressure as home improvement expenditures are predicted to reach new heights in 2017. "Our trades are so thin that we're hitting capacity is- sues," says William Owens, a former HBI board chairman and the president of Owens Construction in Powell, Ohio. "Even if we wanted to get more work done, we probably couldn't get more work done in the short term." ENGAGING COMMUNITY Trade associations serve as the primary vehicle to collect and distribute information about labor needs and training programs among remodelers throughout the country. But some markets have more success than others in building J OSH D E M BIC KI co-founded Colorado Craft Remodelers in February 2016 with an unconventional approach to hiring new employees. Dembicki, who attended graduate school for ethics and social change, studied poverty alleviation and became resolved to create job opportu- nities for people in downtown Denver recovering from personal setbacks like homelessness and substance addiction. The full-service remodeler employs eight people, three of whom have come from networks that assist in rebuilding lives following personal misfortune. They learn various aspects of the trades as they advance through recovery pro- grams, and the company provides them with guidance as well as training while they develop valuable skills and embark on new careers within construction. "If they're eager to create change in their life, then we're eager to provide opportunities for them to do that," says Dembicki, who appreciates the loyalty and reliability that comes from each of the people the company has brought on through local recovery networks. "This is a central value for us, [and] this is a central pillar to what we're doing because it gives back to the community." Dembicki expects Colorado Craft Remodelers to reach $2 million in total revenue in its first year of business, and he says the company remains on track to hit $5 million in 2017. Two more full- time salespeople and another project manager should join the team soon to help with the extra job volume in the next year, he adds. "Take an active interest in what's going on in your city," Dembicki says. "Find out who's doing what in your city, [and] find out what your local needs are." Contributing to a Better Society Volunteer your time and get to know the staff there; that way, you have a direct [connection]. Dolores Davis, CG&S; Design-Build SPECIAL REPORT: Labor Shortage 42 January 2017 QR QualifiedRemodeler.com

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