Build Me Up: Building an Equitable Workforce with Carpenters in Action
After the tragic death of George Floyd sparked nationwide protests and civil unrest, almost every industry has had to look in the mirror – reflecting on overt, covert and systemic racism that exists, and which creates barriers for people of color and other underrepresented groups. The construction industry is no different.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 88% of construction workers are White, compared to 78% in the overall workforce. In Minnesota, only 4.8% of the construction workforce is comprised of people of color. How can we create more opportunities for people of color in this industry?
The North Central Regional Council of Carpenters, which represents union members across the Midwest, is taking steps toward equity. They launched the Carpenters in Action program, which aims to pipeline local, diverse community members into the carpenters union. The first cohort was directly involved in rebuilding the Lake Street corridor, which was hit hard over the summer following the Minneapolis riots. The long-term goal is to provide well-paying careers that build wealth and equity in the industry.
On the latest episode of KA’s Build Me Up podcast, we discuss the Carpenters in Action program and how we can create more diversity in the construction industry with KA’s Director of Inclusion and Diversity Laurie Trousil; Barb Pecks, who is the Union business representative of the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters; and Kennoshia Fullilove, who graduated from the Carpenters in Action program this past summer.
Creating Carpenters in Action
“We really wanted to develop a mentor relationship with these individuals … You have to be intentional, you have to make that extra effort to try and help that person.”
When Barb Pecks walked through Lake Street following the Minneapolis riots, she, like many others, wanted to know what she could do to help. The neighborhood was decimated, and it left many residents without access to a grocery store, pharmacy, and other essentials. As construction on the Lake Street Target and Cub Foods began, Barb and the carpenter’s union got brainstorming on how they could create opportunities for a more diverse workforce.
They quickly got to work on the Carpenters in Action program. With help from the Salvation Army and other local non-profits, they pulled the program together in just two weeks. The idea was to have people from that neighborhood working to rebuild the neighborhood, and to open the door for people of color in the industry.
The two-week paid program brought the cohort to jobsites, teaching them the foundational skills of carpentry, job site safety, and providing individual mentorship. Each member of the cohort was gifted a pair of boots and a toolkit to get them started. The goal was to give them the skills and resources needed to land an apprenticeship, and ultimately a well-paid career in construction.
“It starts with conversations like this. It starts with passion and wanting to see change for real, and not just talk about it. Really coming to the table as the carpenters union came and said, ‘What can we do to help?'”
Addressing the Barriers in the Construction Industry
Kennoshia came into the Carpenters in Action program without any background in construction. She was working as a server and knew she needed a career change to support herself and her teenaged daughter. With Barb taking her under her wing, she was able to quickly gain confidence and skills that will serve her well in her construction career. But the process wasn’t easy. It took a lot of intention and hard work. And the barriers that exist for people of color and other underrepresented groups, including having reliable transportation to get to different jobsites, make it even more challenging to get a start. The construction industry often runs in the family, so if you don’t have a parent or other relative to educate you on these opportunities, many don’t realize all the well-paying careers that don’t require a college degree. Barb hopes that the emphasis on mentorship in the Carpenters in Action program will help Kennoshia and the rest of the cohort work through those barriers. She knows that starting out in the field can be tough, with a steep learning curve and potential for layoffs, and having a support system in place is crucial.
The carpenter’s union is hoping to organize future Carpenters in Action cohorts to bring more diversity into the industry, and Barb is hoping that other trades unions will follow. To learn more about the Carpenters in Action program and opportunities for more diversity in construction, tune in to Build Me Up. You can subscribe to Build Me Up wherever you listen to podcasts.
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