ABC Chairman’s Message: Building Mass Careers builds the construction talent pipeline

In accordance with our long-time strategic plan, ABC MA has launched Building Mass Careers (BMC), a 501(c)3 charitable organization, to formalize our workforce development program and help provide member companies with the qualified workers we all so desperately need.

BMC connects with Massachusetts One-Stop Career Centers, returning veterans, dislocated workers, new Americans with construction experience in their home countries, out-of-school youth, people with disabilities and college graduates who seek careers in construction. We help them realize that their existing strengths, such as math or computer skills, are transferable to construction, creating a pipeline to the Gould Construction Institute. 

The benefits of this new entity aren’t just limited to contractors. Not all the individuals we train will become tradespeople or construction managers. Some will seek a career at one of our suppliers, distributors or equipment rental companies. In short, we will help you find the people you need to thrive.

In recent years, our chapter has had notable success winning competitive grants that have funded programs that provide construction training to a diverse group of individuals. But we can’t rely on grants alone; we need to ramp up our capacity to attract more people and train them to join member companies. To do this, we need your help in the form of donations to fund scholarships for training and to support students seeking employment, as well as in-kind contributions such as vehicle donations, tools and PPE.

Your generous support will equip us to attend high school career fairs and engage with national organizations such as SkillsUSA, YouthBuild and Job Corps, and vocational schools. It will also help us engage with community-based programs and other non-profits that have clients who could seamlessly join our industry.

We all know construction is one of the few industries that offer family-sustaining wages without the burden of college debt. And demand for skilled construction talent has never been higher. An estimated 650,000 workers are needed to meet that demand this year alone! 

We hope you will consider supporting our new workforce development 501(c)3 with a tax-deductible contribution. 

For more information, please visit: www.buildingmasscareers.org 

Vera Vadeboncoeur is the 2023 ABC MA chair and is controller at Fernandes Masonry, Inc., New Bedford, Mass.