Spring CCE Updates: Improving IDEA in Construction, Updated Toolbox Talks, Worker Health and more
Greetings from the Washington State Construction Center of Excellence!
Multicolor hardhats hang on a wall.
It is an honor to write you at the beginning of the Spring season – a season of growth and change - as the Director of the Washington State Construction Center of Excellence. We’ve set our sights high through the remainder of the 2023 fiscal year and already have our plan set for 2024:
IDEA: Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access in the construction industry
Looking deeper into statewide connections that improve IDEA and industry awareness for every interested resident. The EEOC, through the Federal Register, have made it blatantly clear that IDEA is still severely lacking in the construction industry.
What you can expect from us: updated resources, including referrals to IDEA SMEs in WA state.
Webinars and live training sessions to help guide employers and organizations through the real change that must occur internally for IDEA not only become a standard practice, but part of the worksite culture.
Videos, podcasts, and toolbox talks to help lead IDEA conversations.
Spotlight organizations that put IDEA in practice. Our first example comes from the Northwest Carpenters Union.
Innovations in recruitment strategies post-Covid-19 restrictions – challenges and new methods of reaching the next generation of workers, while welcoming others back to the industry. We’ll highlight this through guest blog writers, webinars, videos, and more.
Retention best practices of apprentices and journey persons through challenging economic times - investigating financial impacts per employment cluster.
Updated Toolbox Talks Safety Briefings
Updating Toolbox Talks and creating in-site tools to find what you need quickly is critical to the safety and health of Washington worksites. The CCE is proud to collaborate with our partners at Trio Group, AGC Education Foundation, and Jonathan Andersen, CSP on this project that is currently underway. We’ve made several upgrades in English (Toolbox Talks) y en Español (Charlas de Seguridad) on the website and the mobile app. The CCE will be sending out updates and push notification on the app as toolbox talks and charlas de seguridad are updated. Late spring or early summer, you’ll be able to give us your feedback on both the website and the mobile app, including what additional topics you’d like us to research, write, and link resources. Stay tuned!
Building relationships statewide post-pandemic
We’re working diligently to connect with employers, unions, apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, education programs, NPOs, TEROs, workforce development associations, and more statewide that are focused on the construction industry. We’ll be on the road a lot or taking Zoom/Teams meetings to have an opportunity to connect with great organizations around Washington.
Total Worker Health
Total Worker Health® is high on our priorities list. We’ll be looking at adding webinars and live events throughout the year that dive into emerging issues in opioid and other substance use disorders, mental health, physical health/wellbeing, workplace experiences, workplace culture and safety climate. Many thanks to the great Mandi Kime (AGC WA) for presenting on this topic at a recent WALNI DOSH conference in Tumwater and to our partner Jonathan Andersen for some great resources to study.
Data partnerships
Data partnerships to improve how and when we can bring vital statistics regarding the construction industry to interested parties. We’ve acquired data projection tools through our Centers of Excellence partners that provide ranges and projections in skill gaps, occupation demand/decline, wages, and many additional data sets by area code, zip code, area, region, state, and nation. Contact us for more information.
Collaboration with other Centers of Excellence
Collaborative relationships and strategic planning with our fellow Centers of Excellence statewide to create awareness of the COE system, unify, and support our colleagues who are doing amazing work that all tie back into the construction sector. To learn more about the 12 COEs? Visit our collective website here.
Welcome to our newest Center Director, Brent Lundstrom who has successfully launched the Cybersecurity Center of Excellence at Whatcom Community College. The Cybersecurity Center of Excellence is partnering with the National Cybersecurity Training & Education Center to support future and current workers in Washington. Have cybersecurity needs at your site or company? Contact Brent here.
We’ll be hosting introduction articles with our fellow Washington State Center of Excellence Directors so you can see how all our industries connect. First up is the compelling and brilliant Ann Avary, Center of Excellence for Maritime Manufacturing & Technology. Read Ann’s conversation with our team here.
Industry-specific Programs
Trending industry-specific programs, such as the Construction Management tracts available through Pierce College and articulation agreements forming to get students to the construction program and community/technical college that best fits a learner’s knowledge, skills, abilities, interests, and passions. The ultimate goal is to eliminate barriers in Construction Management degree pursuit through the Construction Center of Excellence’s Community of Practice. This year, we’ve already completed two productive sessions that are moving us in a positive and promising direction. Many thanks to our partners at AGC Education Foundation, Seattle Jobs Initiative, Edmonds College, South Seattle College Georgetown Campus, Pierce College, Columbia Basin College, Spokane Community College, Olympic College Shelton Campus, Peninsula College, and Renton Technical College.
Updates and Events:
We’d like to thank everyone who attended the EmPower Women’s Leadership Conference – we shattered registration and attendance records for this event! Of 400 registrations, 391 of you attended! Our previous record for the 2022 online event was 245. Grateful to Dr. Barbara Jackson, our keynote speaker, panelists, and the incredible EmPower Planning Team! To review Dr. Jackson’s slide decks from both presentations, visit our blog here.
Monthly meetings for the Regional Pre-Apprenticeship Collaboration, Pierce County Construction Consortium, Sound Transit PLA, and more are happening in person and online throughout the Puget Sound Region. We strive to be inclusive statewide and list events critical to our industry from every region. Please contact us at cce@rtc.edu so we can add your construction sector meeting or event to the Center of Excellence calendar. Are you looking for ways to connect and become active members of monthly advisory groups, collaborations, consortiums, or communities of practice? We’re here to connect you. If we don’t have the resource you’re looking for, we’ll certainly help you find it. Learn more about our mission here. To see the mission, vision, and core expectations of all twelve Washington State Centers of Excellence, click here.
The Construction Trades Certification program launches April 3rd at Olympic College Shelton Campus with a focus on residential and light construction industry employment. To learn more about the program and how to register, click here.
Spokane Community College’s Skilled Trades Preparation (STP) program introduces you to the skills and training you need to succeed as an apprentice, no matter what trade you choose. To learn more about STP, attend an information session where you will be able to hear about the program, tour the facility, meet the teachers and enroll. Upcoming Information Sessions (all start at 9AM at the Apprenticeship Center – 2110 N Fancher Way, Spokane): April 13, 2023; May 4, 2023; May 25, 2023; June 15, 2023. Click here to sign up.
The Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council (WALNI) convenes in Vancouver, WA April 19-20. To Learn more about the meetings and review the council’s agenda, visit the site here.
ANEW’s annual Diversity and Inclusion Summit is scheduled for May 11th at the Doubletree Hotel SeaTac Conference Center. To learn more or to sponsor the event, please contact Megan Pearson at ANEW.
An incredible conference opportunity, Securing Infrastructure, Supply Chain, and Energy Systems, is happening at Columbia Basin College June 6-7 through a joint effort of the Washington State Centers of Excellence. Registration is now open and there is no fee to attend!
ANEW is hosting a Construction Job Fair June 8th from 4-6PM at the ANEW Training Center. Visit their events page to learn more and register.
Our team looks forward to working with you throughout the year. Wishing you a healthy, safe, and prosperous spring!
In partnership,
