Maximizing the Potential of Mentorship with Formal Training Programs

This article was originally posted on behalf of NCCER by the Foundation of the American Subcontractors Association.

Foremen are at the forefront of a construction project’s success. Acting as a crucial pivot point between upper management and the boots on the ground, these frontline supervisors play a key role in turning plans into action.  

As the construction industry continues to navigate ongoing challenges such as labor shortages, issues within the supply chain and overall increasing costs, demands and scrutiny, the performance of foremen grows in importance for strong project outcomes.  

Contractors must also consider their strategy for selecting, preparing and onboarding the people tabbed for field leadership roles. Historically, most leadership training for new foremen has been focused on mentorship-like models—but is this enough developmental support to breed success? 

Stepping Into New Roles 

Before being selected for a leadership position, most foremen get their start in the construction industry as craft workers in the field. Through showcasing their technical skills and proficiency in their trade, as well as professional skills such as timeliness and teamwork, these top-performing employees can catch the eyes of higher-level staff as having the potential to take on a larger role.  

When a company finds themselves in need of new foremen—which often happens with little notice—they turn to this pool of potential leadership candidates and try to select the best and most experienced among them to elevate to a supervisory role.  

But while these fledgling foremen might have displayed great talent as a craft professional, taking on a leadership position requires a different skillset 

One of the big differences between these two stages of a construction career is the amount and depth of training that someone typically receives. On the road to becoming a tradesperson, many workers receive ample hands-on craft training in their trade through apprenticeships and other training programs. However, most supervisors do not receive much, if any, formal leadership training. According to a 2018 report by the Construction Industry Institute (CII), new foremen generally receive “minimal onboarding support,” meaning that they must “rely on daily guidance from their peers and supervisors to help them transition into their new responsibilities.”  

Benefits and Limitations of Mentorship-Focused Onboarding 

Mentorship in the form of this guidance from peers and supervisors is a powerful tool during someone’s transition period from craft worker to leader.  

Most foremen will work under a general foreman, and either directly or indirectly under a superintendent. These higher-ranking leaders, as well as other foremen heading up crews in other areas of a project, have likely been a similar situation as a green supervisor and have valuable insights into how to navigate the sometimes-uneven terrain. Through sharing their own experiences, personal anecdotes, tips and strategies, mentors can impart a lot of wisdom to rookie foremen. 

However, mentorship has limitations in the fast-moving world of construction. Other foremen, general foremen and superintendents have their own important daily responsibilities and cannot always be an available resource for newcomers to the world of leadership.  

The mentorship model can also leave gaps in the more technical aspects of a foreman’s leadership development, especially if the mentorship is less formal in nature.  

The 2018 CII report researched different areas of competency that foremen did (or didn’t) receive training in. While more than 85 percent of foremen reported receiving some kind of training in supervisory skills and more than 75 percent had been trained in safety, fewer than half of foremen received training in effective communication, quality control or scheduling. Less than a quarter of foremen reported being trained in estimating, workface planning, lean construction or BIM modeling software.  

In addition, while the findings of the report indicate general foremen had received slightly higher of levels of training at that point in their career than foremen, the data still reflects some significant deficits in education and development in key areas. Consequently, general foremen, who are expected to mentor and support their colleagues new to field leadership, may not have actually mastered some of those important skills themselves. 

The Missing Piece of the Puzzle 

Peer support and mentorship are important to the long-term success of new foremen. But the guidance available through these methods is only part of the puzzle. For frontline supervisors to thrive in their advanced roles, onboarding and mentorship must be supplemented with formal, organized leadership training and certification.  

Historically, many companies have been hesitant to commit these formal training resources to foremen and supervisors, fearing that the often-transient nature of these roles will lead to diminishing returns on investment. Some contractors, especially small- to medium-sized companies, also don’t have the internal infrastructure in place to support such a program.  

But with the role being so important to project outcomes, leaving foremen untrained in their new areas of responsibility is a risky gamble. Not only is it a risk to the performance of the project, but also to the career of the individual in the role. If left unproperly supported, talented professionals may not reach their potential, leading to discouragement and possibly leaving the company or even the industry as a result. 

In contrast, companies who make a comprehensive commitment to nurturing new and upcoming foremen can reap significant benefits, including:  

• Increased productivity and efficiency by foremen and their crews 

• Improved hazard management and safety performance  

• Reduced costs due to rework and quality issues 

• Enriched employee culture and retention through workforce development and advancement opportunities 

• Limiting time and money lost from recruiting, hiring and onboarding external candidates for leadership vacancies 

For companies looking to start investing in their new and potential foremen through formal leadership development, one turnkey option is the Construction Foreman Certification Program from the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER). Utilizing online coursework and materials developed by experienced field leaders and subject matter experts, this program offers a convenient and effective solution for contractors seeking to supplement their current foremen onboarding with formal training and certification. 

Mentorship and training are two sides of the same coin. To maximize your foremen’s performance, make sure they have access to both.