Construction Center of Excellence
Steering Committee Definition

The purpose of the Steering Committee to the Construction Center of Excellence is to guide development of the Center’s statewide intermediary role.  Members are decision makers within their own organizations, and are appointed to two-year, renewable terms.

Its mission provides a clear path to shared success by listing construction workforce stakeholders, and how they interact. This statement lays a foundation for setting reasonable strategies, from which useful products, practices and activities can be created and replicated. 

Steering Committee Workforce Priorities

The Steering Committee has defined its two priorities for 2006 – 2008 as:

Priority One: Making construction employment opportunities and job progression transparent and open to all of Washington’s citizens; and  

Priority Two: Enhancing the image of construction in a way that attracts and retains a well-trained workforce, and improving the public impression of this vital industry.   

There is a range of complex and intersecting issues within each workforce priority. Small working groups of committee members and associated experts have been formed to address these issues with new and innovative strategies. 

Strategies for Success

Priority One, Strategy 1: Create incentives for connection among K-12, post-secondary training and education, and apprenticeship

• Fostering and helping to replicate successful pre-apprenticeship programs and career awareness activities
• Building relationships with organizations that are influential to parents, teachers, and school staff/administration
• Examining ways to increase articulations with state and regional leaders, including Tech Prep
• Demonstrating connections between academic achievement, and academic and career planning by connecting construction math and science to post-secondary academic requirements across construction training
• Increasing access to contextual resources for teachers and counselors

Priority One, Strategy 2: Connect earlier and with consistency in elementary and secondary education 

• Supporting career awareness and math-related activities in elementary and middle schools, such as Block Kids and If I Had a Hammer
• Explore connections between earth science and green building activities or curriculum for middle school students

Priority One, Strategy 3: Cultivate career and leadership progression, making the prestige and mobility of construction careers apparent within and outside of the industry

• Developing an Ambassadors Program to grow the leaders of tomorrow as trained spokespeople

• Improving incumbent career guidance, so current workers can identify and transfer their skill sets into management and leadership roles

• Enhancing employability skills resources for pre-apprenticeship and ESL construction programs

Priority Two, Strategy 1: Develop a brand identity for construction careers  

• Crafting and spreading a modern, consistent message with and for all stakeholders
• Unifying construction marketing in a cohesive regional and statewide plan
• Creating or linking compelling materials that demonstrate both wage and career building progression
• Building connections to and among public service campaigns, such as Building For A Lifetime

Priority Two, Strategy 2:  Bring greater understanding of workforce issues impacting diversity

• Examining the issues of the non-formally trained/fluid construction workforce
• Compiling effective practices in recruitment and retention for community based organizations, training providers, and employers
• Educating industry on the effectiveness of pre-apprenticeship programs
• Aligning other COE working on common diversity and retention issues for a greater impact