Resources

>> Apprenticeship and Training Opportunities During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Round-Table Discussion – June 24, 2020

Workforce Development

We know the Challenges

• We are successfully collaborating and partnering with local unions and subcontractors
• We hold subs accountable: Can’t accept “no”
• Success – We’ve done it!
  • CMAR delivery allows us to create and enforce program
  • Early identification of workforce development opportunities during the prequalification and in the preconstruction
  • Aggregating hiring demand with every trade to be utilized on a particular subcontract
  • Understanding each subcontractor’s capacity to hire, train, retain, and promote individuals from underrepresented populations
  • Implementing a workforce mentoring program that supports the “T.R.I.P.” (training, retention, investment, and promotion)

The O’Hare 21 Program represents an extraordinary opportunity to transform the construction environment at O’Hare airport and the City of Chicago. AECOM Hunt Clayco Bowa will work collaboratively with the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) to creatively find solutions for increasing the rates of minority and female participation in the building trades and business enterprises.

AECOM Hunt Clayco Bowa’s approach to maximizing diversity and inclusion will be based on providing the most up to date information through our website, continuing our existing relationship building initiatives and events, as well as, aligning ourselves with the right workforce and assist agencies to ensure that we are being as inclusive as possible when promoting business opportunities.

 We plan to execute this plan by:

• Holding regular community outreach events
• Facilitating partnerships between Chicago Building Trades & Community Organizations
• Mentorship and Communication with new and returning construction workforce
• Creating a pipeline of incoming apprentices and the mechanisms necessary for their retention
• Working with existing high school trade programs to expose more students and recent graduates to the construction industry

CCDI

We are currently working with Hire360, Access United, CISCO, a variety of Unions, and other affiliates in order to find ways to reduce barriers of entry into the union trades. We attend monthly meetings and are a key stakeholder in making sure the necessary barriers are identified and addressed. We consistently advocate for more minorities and women to have a fair opportunity to enter and stay in the trades.

Our Construction Career Development Initiative (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 is led by four guiding principles:

1. Real World Experience – getting jobseekers into real-world work environments for the most valuable career training.
2. Building Awareness – jobs in construction span a diverse range of disciplines and applications. We work to raise awareness of the various trade apprentice programs.
3. Job Placement – with CCDI, training and mentorship are just the beginning. We provide the support and direction jobseekers need to successfully find work.
4. Academic Scholarship – our mentorship encourages academic goals. We encourage jobseekers to pursue a variety of training, certification, two or four-year degrees focusing on tuition assistance.

We have identified a variety of barriers that we would help reduce or eliminate through raising funds and using partners and third-party organizations who provide the necessary training to help reduce these barriers.

These barriers include but are not limited to:

Once we are able to clear key barriers, we would be able to refer jobseekers to a pre-apprentice or apprentice program.

AECOM Hunt Clayco Bowa will make sure that that there is a jobs pool and hiring opportunities among us and/or our subcontractors as we are awarded work orders.