As part of its continuing Workforce Development efforts, AGC MA hosted the third annual Building Advancement Externship (BAE) program. Through August 14th – 18th AGC welcomed 15 participants comprised of educators, school counselors, and academic leaders for a week long immersive introduction to the commercial construction industry.  The externs selected through an application process represented all 7 workforce regions in the state.
 
The externs embarked upon a week-long immersion into the industry. AGC MA staff and contractor firms developed a robust, comprehensive overview of the industry from the field to the office. Throughout the week the externs heard from company executives and staff who provided a deep dive into the sophistication of the industry. Numerous industry staff shared details about how they got their start in the industry. In full PPE, externs toured job sites, were briefed on the intricacies of preconstruction, learned about the industry’s use of cutting-edge technology, safety, culture and more. Everyone left eager to share this new information with their colleagues, administrators, parents, and students.
 
A special thanks to our 2022 host member firms and their teams: Fontaine Brothers., Inc, Commodore Builders and Harry Grodsky & Co., Inc., Colantonio, Inc., Consigli Construction Co., Inc., Walsh Brothers, Inc., Turner Construction Company, Columbia Construction Company, Bond Brothers, Inc., Erland Construction, and our partners at the New England Carpenters Training Center for the role they played in delivering what the externs have described as a “stellar, invaluable, all-encompassing, enlightening,” overview of the commercial construction industry.
 
We look forward to working closely with this cohort, their administrators, parents, students, and community on workforce development initiatives that will strengthen our pipeline to employment efforts.
 
The Building Advancement Externship was created by the AGC MA Workforce Development Task Force to enrich STEAM educators and academic leaders’ understanding of the various career paths in commercial construction and relate core competencies in the industry to skills illustrated by their students. If you are interested in AGC’s Workforce Development Efforts, please contact John Ferrante at ferrante@agcmass.org.