Chairman's message: Gould Const. Institute holds gala

On May 22nd, the Gould Construction Institute (GCI) held its fourth annual Safety and Education gala, honoring graduating apprentices, scholarship recipients, safety award winners and members who represented ABCMA at the national craft championship. The Safety Training and Evaluation Process program (STEP) was developed by ABC contractors to provide an objective, accurate and specific methodology their fellow members can use to measure jobsite safety programs.  This year, our parent organization honored 50 ABCMA companies representing a broad range of trades with safety awards. We work in an inherently dangerous business, but this year's winners again demonstrate that safety and productivity are complementary, not competitive.  Safety means not losing precious man-hours to injuries, and it also helps us live up to our responsibility to the employees who are at the heart of our success. It's no coincidence that some of our most dedicated and successful member companies were among the winners. Access to high-quality safety training through GCI is another way for ABC members to gain a competitive advantage in our fast-changing, increasingly technological industry. GCI can tailor its diverse curriculum to meet the needs of your company.  It runs classes in 25 trades taught by licensed instructors at 8 locations that cover every region of Mass. - all at a cost our competitors can't match. Our union colleagues continue to point to training as a reason to pay the higher costs of union construction, but in its 25th year, GCI continues to set the industry standard for construction education. It is a fully licensed, private proprietary school certified by the Mass. Department of Education. The latest example of GCI's position on the leading edge of construction education is a construction management program launched this year in conjunction with Wentworth Institute of Technology. The program, which was filled to capacity the first time it was offered, provides a career advancement opportunity that makes our industry more appealing to talented young men and women, and provides our companies with a tool for retaining some of their best employees. Our participants in the national craft championships, which were held in Puerto Rico, provided further evidence of ABCMA's leadership in training and education. Tom Carlson of Notch Mechanical Constructors competed in the welding competition and DECCO's Michael Basch won the pipe fitter competition, earning the title of the nation's best pipe fitter!   I urge all of our members to train with the Gould Construction Institute and compete in the 2009 STEP awards competition.  For those of you who want to take advantage of the competitive edge GCI provides, contact executive director Barbara Lagergren at Barbara@gwgci.org. Chris Kenney is the chairman of the Associated Builders & Contractors-Mass. chapter, Burlington, Mass.