
Pandemic and recruiting challenges also impede progress
Conclusion of a two-part story
This story continues MSRâs look at diversity in the construction industry begun in last weekâs story âConstruction diversity still a work in progress.â
Marvin Smith is president of the Association of Minority Contractors in the Upper Midwest. Heâs been in the construction business for 13 years and is the owner and CEO of Bogard Construction. Smith believes that careers in the construction industry can help young people achieve financial stability and doesnât have some of the barriers to entry that other industries might.
âConstruction is a pathway for many of our young men whoâve got challenges. Maybe theyâre on probation or theyâre on child support. Those people can still qualify to work on high-paying jobs if theyâre willing to do the necessary training to be an apprentice or journeyman,â he said.
Related Story: Construction diversity is still a work in progress
Smith said that despite the opportunities being there, there doesnât seem to be an active interest in filling these jobs. He recently held a job fair with members of his association. Eight contractors attended hoping to fill 15 positions. At the end of the day, not one application was filed. âOur young men and women for whatever reason arenât showing up.â
Keia Isaacson had a similar experience years ago when she tried recruiting women for her business. âIn the history of 12 years, Iâve probably only had four women apply. Of those four Iâve gotten zero to interview,â she said.
Hiring more women on public construction projects has also been a focus for city and state officials when it comes to workforce inclusion. Though most local and state statutes list the goal for womenâs participation to be 20% of the workforce, goals set by contract compliance officers are much lower due to the lack of women in the industry overall.
Isaacson believes that the low representation of women in the workforce is due to how theyâre treated in the male-dominated industry. Sheâs had her experience questioned when it came to working on flooring projects by some of the men sheâs worked with. Nevertheless, she believes itâs a rewarding industry to join.
âI donât think they understand how much they make as installers even though itâs on-the-job postings,â she said. âI havenât been able to wrap my head around it.â
Leadership turnover high
Recent reporting from the Pioneer Press has suggested that turnovers in St. Paulâs Department of Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity (HREEO) leadership have impacted the departmentâs ability to execute its responsibility in overseeing these public contracts. In just five years, HREEO has had five directors or interim directors. Currently, the department is being led by Interim Director Kristien Butler since the departure of Valerie Jensen in April.
âAmid the many challenges of the pandemic, advancing justice and equity of our community remains as critical as ever,â said Interim Director Butler. âAs our entire city continues rebuilding from the challenges of the past 20 months, we remain focused on supporting residents, workers and businesses.â
The department has since partnered with St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carterâs office to increase its budget and staffing. Additional funding is needed to further HREEOâs mission in increasing workforce inclusion on city projects.
Brian Walsh is currently serving as the acting director of the contract compliance division in Minneapolis. Heâs also the current director of the labor standards enforcement division. Walsh explains that this is due to a hiring freeze brought on by the pandemic.
âThe director of the contract compliance division was recently named Sean Skibbie, but he frankly got a new position at the Minnesota Department of Transportation,â Walsh said. Velma Corbel, the last director of the contract compliance division, left in the past year.
âI can say the departure of Velma Corbel and certainly the pandemic probably more than anything has slowed down the process, but City processes have always moved slow.â
Dunne stated that despite there not being a director for the City of Minneapolisâs contract compliance division, he and his colleagues have gotten along fine in their work despite the backlog of construction data they have to enter.
Abdi Mohamed is a contributing writer at the MN Spokesman-Recorder. He can be reached at amohamed@spokesman-recorder.com.