Industry’s future rests with young professionals

By Mike Fabishak

Mike Fabishak

When you think of leaders in the commercial construction industry, who do you think of?

You will notice that many of the leading construction companies are family owned. And many of those companies have sustained over the years, one in Milwaukee for five generations. That's not a simple task. So how does a company plan to make it over the long haul?

One thing can be sure, the future leaders of the company need to be identified and brought into the fold early on. Through this early development, a smooth transition can be planned, and the future leader can learn from the seasoned leaders. This is the premise behind the development of the Young Constructors Forum at the Associated General Contractors of Greater Milwaukee.

In existence in Milwaukee now for more than two years, the YCF has been providing an opportunity for future leaders of the industry to network and learn from other professionals. This type of program is cropping up more and more in Milwaukee and other areas — and it has been successful.

Such groups as the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce Young Professionals and the AGC Young Constructors Forum have grown exponentially since their inception, and they continue to grow. They are vital to continuing the growth and development of future leaders in our area. With the same premise as running a successful business, these groups are helping to form the basis for a successful future, both for the individual and the business and association com-munity they serve.

Gone are the days of old when you had to pay your dues before you could take on a leadership role. No longer must you wait until someone higher up approaches you for an opportunity. Times have changed with the transition of the baby boomers and Generation X through the work force. Young professionals want to know how they can contribute now, and they see the value of learning from those who have been there before them. They are eager to learn and shape their future and the future of their profession.

The YCF is beginning to take the future of the industry into its own hands with involvement in the AGC Build Up and On Site kits. Created by the AGC and Scholastic, these programs are designed to share with children in fourth to eighth grades the math, science and history of the construction industry. The idea is to plant the seed for a possible future in the construction industry for these young children, who will be looking at a job market in construction that will only grow with possibilities in the coming years.

As the YCF and others like it continue to grow and develop in Milwaukee, we look forward to deep and meaningful relationships between future and present leaders.

As an association, just like a business, we need to be thinking about the future. These leaders will help our association and the industry be prepared for what lies ahead.

More organizations should take note of this model and set a plan for how they will involve this energetic and intelligent group into their association. Their participation will not only prove beneficial to the present. It will lay the groundwork for the future.

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