Maine industrial contractor, Cianbro, has opened a new workforce development center in remodeled space at a former technology center in Pittsfield to address the skilled worker shortage, the company announced in a press release on August 17.
“We believe that the challenges we face with the workforce in our country and state are disguised opportunities,” said Cianbro Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Pete Vigue at the center in the remodeled spaces of the former UTC Tech Center building. The event was attended by Gov. Paul LePage (R), and other distinguished guests who joined Vigue and Cianbro President Andi Vigue for a ceremony and tours.
“It is our responsibility within this organization and within our industry to invest in the development of our future workforce while providing them an opportunity for personal growth,” he said.
To address chronic skilled worker shortages, Cianbro has used in-house education over the years to develop thousands of highly qualified construction professionals, a Cianbro spokesman said in a statement. Although Cianbro has outgrown its educational facilities due to the company growth and intense demand for training, it plans to continue efforts to ease the region’s worker-shortage through use of the new facility.
The new facility will allow the company’s workforce development department–The Cianbro Institute–to host future educational initiatives at the facility, which has new fully-equipped classrooms, office spaces for instructors, and spacious areas for larger educational gatherings, the statement noted. Until now, the Institute has conducted sessions ranging from new hire orientation and craft education to leadership development.
Once the team moves into the new facility, the core of Cianbro’s workforce development programs will exist under one roof where instructors and the support team will work together in close proximity. In addition, the new location provides some simple efficiencies, such as eliminating travel and setup time between facilities, better management of classrooms, improved team communication, and a loading dock for moving any classroom equipment.
As Cianbro continues to extend its reach as a company—currently working in more than 40 states—it will be critical for instructors to have the ability to deliver developmental opportunities remotely or via broadcast. Equipping multiple rooms with cameras, will make this a reality, giving Cianbro the opportunity to reduce travel costs, reach more team members simultaneously, and reduce time away from a project.
Additionally, the facility will have a skilled-trades multi-functional room to conduct a variety of hands-on educational sessions. For example, rigging is an important skill to develop across many of the trades. The multi-functional room will offer the ability to set up 16-foot gantries for indoor demonstrations and activities.
“What we've learned when we support and believe in people is that the opportunities are endless, not only for individuals but also for our company,” Vigue says.
