Building and strengthening relationships between contractors and trade unions is one of Greenwell’s primary responsibilities, as is building and sustaining relationships between the industry and government and regulatory bodies.

     Last week, during a break from meetings with the city of Kansas City. Missouri, regarding building and construction codes and regulations, Greenwell talked with Ingram’s about his new position at the Builders’ Association.  

These are good times for builders in the Kansas City area, aren’t they?

They sure are. Very exciting. And not just downtown, but throughout the metropolitan region. 

 

Any particular challenges facing area builders as a result of the building boom?

 

It’s always a challenge to maintain an experienced, trained, workforce. That’s a big part of what we do. Training and education is a major part of our mission. Together with labor, we create apprenticeship opportunities throughout the region, to give young people a chance to learn building trades. These apprenticeships are a fundamental grassroots economic development tool. They drive the economy forward, they provide education, improve quality of life, and strengthen the workforce. Without a healthy local construction industry, which includes contractors and labor, we can’t compete as a region. 

 

What are some of the other things you’re doing to keep the industry strong?

We work closely with government officials on regulatory issues, and we work with unions to arrive at mutually beneficial labor agreements. The Builders’ Association has been representing Missouri and Kansas builders for more than 120 years. We have a current membership of 1,025 companies. And by and large our members have strong positive relationships with the unions. These craftsmen are highly-skilled artisans. They’re rightfully proud of their craft. The work they do is difficult and complex. It takes intelligence, years of training, education, and experience. That’s why we’re so committed to apprenticeships.

“Frankly, the construction trades are not on the radar of high school guidance counselors as they should be. We have scholarships and internships available. These are well paying jobs and there’s going to be high demand for people in these jobs for a long time.

“We’re headed for a crisis of sorts. Within ten years, one third of our construction trades workforce will

be retiring. One-half will be retiring within fifteen years. And we’re not training new crafts people fast enough to meet the demand that will exist down the road for experienced workers. That doesn’t just impact the construction industry. That impacts the entire economy. If we can’t continue to build and maintain our infrastructure, we fall behind.”