Events > Tilt-Up Convention and Expo 2021 - St. Louis > SESSION

Construction Career Development Initiative (CCDI): An inclusive way of increasing manpower from a diverse community

September 17, 2021 from 9:00am to 10:00am Central Standard Time

Hyatt Regency 4th Floor - Grand F-H

Tom Sieckhaus

Nationwide the construction industry is thriving, but as baby boomers continue to retire, the gap in finding qualified workers to hire continues to increase. Over the past few decades, our society has moved away from the idea of going into a skilled trade as a successful career path as the rise in higher education has become a more popular choice. One of our many goals within CCDI is to help change the stigma of skilled trade careers by cultivating renewed interest in apprenticeship programs and vocational schools with an emphasis on diversity and inclusion in the construction industry. CCDI brings diversity to the Design and Construction industry by mentoring and exposing minority/underrepresented and under employed men and women to career development in construction. CCDI’s guiding principles include; one-on-one mentorship, raising awareness for construction opportunities, spread knowledge about the industry and provide life skills training needed to succeed, assist with job placement, and encourage young adults to be lifelong learners.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Review how the CCDI program originated and the impact to young students
• Key aspects of our program/measurable results
• Meet the students
• Program successes