How Construction Industries Assist Individuals in Need
Giving back to communities in need should be on all our to-do lists. Businesses, in particular, have a heavy hand in the philanthropic sector. When most people think about businesses that give back, they go for nonprofit organizations and charities. Their minds also go to the richest individuals in each industry donating money at every turn. However, companies in the construction industry are uniquely qualified to provide equal amounts of assistance to communities and individuals in need.
The construction industry may not give back in the same ways as the aforementioned organizations and individuals. But it absolutely does give back. Let’s look at this in more detail below.
Mentorship Opportunities
Philanthropy takes many forms, including mentorship. There’s no shortage of mentorship opportunities in the construction industry. Whether it’s happening in a group setting with less-fortunate teens or when an individual employee takes a younger coworker under their wing, mentors and mentees are everywhere in construction.
Mentorship programs are critical because they encourage the personal and professional development of the individuals participating in them. A mentor/mentee relationship can offer the guidance, support, and feedback needed to step into the next stage of life and work confidently.
The ACE Mentor Program is a great example of a quality mentorship opportunity for kids interested in the construction industry.
Their mission statement reads, “To engage, excite, and enlighten high school students to pursue careers in architecture, engineering, and construction through mentoring and continued support for their advancement into the industry.”
The program enlists the help of industry professionals to serve as mentors to small teams of students, guiding them through a mock construction project. So, not only do participants get to develop relationships with key players in the construction industry, but they also get to experience what it takes to complete a project from start to finish.
Internships and Apprenticeships
Internships and apprenticeships are a bit more rigid than mentorships. But they’re worth the rigidity when the outcome is a certification, college credits, experience or a job offer.
Internships and apprenticeships combine on-the-job training with courses or classroom studies to fully prepare students and trainees to succeed in their respective construction careers. Both are led by an experienced professional and may or may not be paid.
In addition, growing a career in construction through internships and apprenticeships can positively impact the self-esteem of young construction professionals.
For example, young people struggle with developing authentic self-esteem and self-love. Although there are plenty of factors that affect this, societal pressure and mental health challenges shoulder much of the blame.
With construction work being some of the most challenging work, it’s no wonder young people’s confidence and self-image improve when they excel in a construction-based internship or apprenticeship.
Taking on Building Contracts Free of Charge
Nearly eight million people work in the construction industry in the United States, according to Statista.
And we need every single one to conquer the ever-growing list of building contracts. Building contracts for the U.S. Department of Defense alone are currently valued at approximately $7.5 million, with more being added daily.
Construction companies aren’t just taking on paid contracts. They’re spreading their time and effort across pro-bono building projects too for individuals and businesses in need of construction help without the ability to pay for it.
They can’t take on every project simultaneously, but construction businesses are tackling the list of those needing free construction help one by one.
Individual Company Philanthropic Efforts
We’ve been discussing how the construction industry as a whole assists people in need. But the philanthropic efforts of individual companies are where much of the assistance comes from.
Construction companies are thriving because it’s a business model that the world will probably require forever. So many services fall under the construction umbrella that these businesses will go on even when other markets crash.
Their success allows them to give back to organizations and individuals hit with tough times.
These ten construction companies are an excellent example of how giving back can take on different forms in individual businesses. For instance, they’re contributing money, offering their skillsets free of charge, supporting varying causes, doing fundraisers, and donating in other ways.
There are a couple of other ways individual companies and workers are assisting those in need.
Creating and contributing to scholarship programs
There are many scholarship opportunities for those interested in traditional education in construction. If a university or college has a construction degree, you can bet on them having some sort of scholarship created around it.
Construction companies absolutely contribute to these scholarship funds. They’re also contributing to those created by associations, like the one The Associated General Contractors (AGC) Education and Research Foundation offers.
Volunteer work
We can’t discount individual construction workers’ impact on the movement to give back. Without their continued commitment to bettering their local communities and others worldwide, the construction industry wouldn’t be influential in assisting underprivileged individuals.
Construction employees are constantly volunteering at local shelters, nonprofit organizations, food banks, and other places that could use the help. They’re putting their skillsets to work for organizations like Habitat for Humanity, building homes for families that need them. They’re also doing simple, spontaneous tasks for neighbors, friends, and colleagues each day.
Whatever they can do to help, they’re doing it. And that’s what giving back is all about.
The construction industry is and will continue to assist individuals in need in various ways. If you’re also a part of the industry and hoping to give back, start with a donation to The National Center for Construction Education & Research. Help them continue to make high-quality construction training and certifications accessible to all.