MANSFIELD — The skilled trades labor force is shrinking nationwide and Mansfield is no exception.
That’s why Adena Corporation decided to get creative with its workforce development outreach.
Students from Pioneer Career and Technology Center visited the company headquarters recently as part of Adena’s first career day — but it included more than the typical tour.
In addition to hearing about Adena’s work and opportunities for employment, the company invited nine students from Pioneer’s building trades program to put their skills to the test.
Students competed in trios building the same three-walled structure. Each team included a student from Pioneer’s masonry, carpentry and home remodeling programs.
Jeremiah Howe, a supervisor at Pioneer, said the nine student competitors were chosen based on interest and some preliminary competitions at the school.
The blueprint and project guidelines were developed by another Pioneer student, according to Tiffany Poloschan, Adena’s workforce development director.
Adena provided the materials and workspace, as well as lunch for the competitors and the rest of the students from Pioneer’s construction trades program, who stopped by for a brief tour of the facility.
After nearly six hours, the nine competitors put down their tools and their projects were evaluated. The winning team consisted of Shalim Monzon, Darius Gutierrez, and Manny Sparks, each of whom received a Hilti tool set.
“We thought it would bring some excitement and some entertainment for the guys and also give them the ability to show their strengths,” said Josh Darling, Adena’s senior vice president.
‘We like to think of ourselves as a career, not just a job’
Jim Constance, a supervisor in Adena’s cabinet shop, watched from the sidelines as the students worked. Pairs framed up walls with 2x4s while masonry students dispatched their levels to ensure every angle was even and straight.
Constance said he was impressed with the students’ work.
“They’re making a few mistakes, but they’re catching them and going back and fixing them,” he observed. “They’re doing alright.”
Tommy Kline, who overseas manpower in the general trades and small projects division, said he enjoyed seeing how students approached the project.
“I like to see the kids’ different train of thought,” Kline said. “With this business, there’s a million ways and it keeps evolving. Every year your materials change and your means and methods change. So it’s interesting to see how people go about things.”
“We’re hoping to attract the students from Pioneer and that they’ll want to come work for Adena in the end,” Poloschan said. “They’re in the trades because this is what they want long-term. So we want to encourage that and give them that opportunity so they continue to grow.”
Founded in 1982, Adena Corporation employs more than 530 people across its offices in Mansfield, Columbus, central Florida and Gunnison, Colorado. Its projects range from amusement park rides to healthcare and higher education facilities to municipal projects.
Kline said encouraging interested students to pursue the trades is crucial.
“Across the industry, there’s a massive shortage of good, skilled labor. So it’s one of the things that’s important for us, to keep finding the next generation of construction,” he said.
“A lot of our older guys are starting to retire now. I graduated in the late 90s, there was a huge push for every kid to go to college. The trades kind of fell backwards.”
Employees like Poloschan and Darling spoke to students about the opportunities for advancement in the construction industry. High school graduates can get a job as a general laborer and work their way up to roles like foreman, supervisor, project engineer or project manager.
“There’s so many different ways you can navigate your future here at Adena,” Darling said. “We like to think of ourselves as a career, not just a job.”
The company is also piloting apprenticeship programs for some of its younger workers. Workers step away from job sites every other Friday for on-the-job training provided by senior Adena employees.
Kline said he believes construction represents a good career option for young people, both in terms of income and professional development.
“There’s a massive opportunity to grow,” he said. “There’s some of us here in this company that started off in the ditch and in the mud. We worked our way up to the point that we’re managing multi-million dollar jobs.”
