Overcoming Field Leadership Shortages by Breaking Language Barriers

With demand for construction projects remaining high, especially with the massive burst in major projects like data centers, attention is once again on the workforce responsible for completing and leading job sites.

Construction has one of the highest concentrations of Spanish-speaking employees among all industries—about one third of workers. But they tend to be less represented in field leadership positions like foreman.  

One of the reasons for this is the importance of clear communication between project leaders. Because planning, logistics and other aspects of most American construction projects function primarily through English, many companies need or prefer English-speaking or multilingual foremen to ensure proper coordination with superintendents, project owners and other stakeholders.  

Another challenge is availability of leadership training in Spanish. In some regions, having Spanish-speaking field leaders is a strategic advantage for contractors, allowing them to communicate better with Spanish-speaking crews. However, most leadership development courses or resources are available in English and not Spanish, restricting how Spanish-speaking employees can learn the unique skills and strategies it takes to lead.  

For experienced, skilled and otherwise qualified professionals, these realities can often prove to be non-starters for advancement. Without access to quality leadership training or clear opportunities for promotion, career pathway progression is effectively blocked. 

These challenges result in a net negative for the construction industry. Despite the growing need for capable leaders, a large population of the industry’s workforce is almost automatically ineligible for promotion. Not only does this mean reducing the amount of potential field leaders in the hiring pool, it also means missing out on seeing talented, high-potential professionals get a chance to thrive and contribute in a higher-level role.  

From the employee perspective, the lack of advancement opportunities limits the capacity to support a family. It can also be a demotivational factor for engagement and long-term company commitment, potentially leading the worker to switch companies or even industries.  

To unlock the latent field leadership potential of Spanish speakers in the construction industry, we must broaden our perceptions about who can lead and innovate how we prepare them. The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) is trying to do just that. 

Expanding access to leadership training by building Spanish translations and Spanish-first coursework is one key part of the solution. NCCER has recently released the Spanish version of its Construction Foreman Certification Program, an online program designed to provide foremen with a solid foundation for their first role in field leadership. The program teaches skills and strategies related to supervision, communication, quality, productivity and safety. Now Spanish-speakers can complete the courses, engage with practice activities and complete assessments in their native tongue. 

We can also utilize construction job training to teach or improve English as a second language, helping develop both career skills and language skills simultaneously. In partnership with EnGen, NCCER is excited to offer the English Skills for Construction Foremen course. This three-month course uses foreman-specific terminology and situations to help adult English learners develop English language skills. After completing the course, learners are prepared to continue into NCCER’s Construction Foreman Certification Program in English. The relevance to their job and career progression opportunities helps adult English learners grasp vocabulary and grammar more quickly and efficiently and immediately put their new skills into practical application.  

By reimagining the leadership development process, the construction industry can open doors to more high-potential leaders, helping to meet the high demand and provide life-changing opportunities to talented individuals of many backgrounds.  

To learn more about NCCER’s language options for our Construction Foreman Certification Program, contact our Business Development team.