They say that good help is hard to find, and in some industries the pools of qualified and experienced help seem to be drying up. In recent years there was concern that the construction industry was falling into this category as fewer young people were pursuing trade work. Fortunately, this trend appears to be reversing course as our attitudes have shifted and more people are acknowledging the importance and value of these skills. High schools devoted to trade work have grown in popularity as alternatives to traditional paths in education. There will always be a need for highly skilled workers, and if you’re a general contractor, finding and securing candidates with the kind of extensive knowledge one needs to manage the day-to-day operations of an active construction site is a blessing to say the least.
Rather than outsourcing freelance field superintendents, we’ve opted to employ ours full-time, a decision that has been instrumental to our stability and success. Equipped with decades of construction experience, our field supers are well versed in all the major trade disciplines. But as valued employees of Solidus, they are also well versed in our unique business model. They are familiar with our meticulously vetted vendors and our stringent safety protocols. Once a field super is assigned to a specific project, they become a main point of contact for that client and a familiar face they can trust. This consistency is especially important when we’re working in an occupied space. Clients will often establish a rapport with their super and request them for future jobs.
One of our senior field superintendents recently celebrated his 29th year with the company and to mark the occasion we recognized his service on our social media platforms. Within hours the comment sections were flooded with kind words and praise for this humble and hard-working member of the Solidus family. “One of the best in the industry!” touted Chris Dupuis, Assistant Vice President of Capital Planning & Management at the University of Hartford. And to the gentleman that referred to him as a “Rockstar”, we couldn’t agree more.
We are fortunate to have several long-standing members within our ranks, and this longevity provides another added benefit to our business. Trust and camaraderie are feelings that build over time, and when colleagues become friends they often go that extra mile to support one another. We support our field staff by making sure they have the tools and resources they need to manage their projects successfully and they support our office team by representing the Solidus brand with integrity. Once a project is underway much of our reputation rests on their shoulders, and we count on them to uphold our values and mission. It’s a challenging role, and our ability to maintain such a robust pool of talent over so many years has been truly remarkable.
