by John Buescher, Central Region President, McCarthy Building Companies
You can’t drive around most cities these days without noticing the cranes, bulldozers and other visible signs of a healthy, growing economy.
From the dramatic transformation taking place on many university campuses, to the ambitious expansions of airports, hospitals and research institutions, the U.S. is in the midst of an exciting economic revival.
Of course, none of these projects would be possible without close, ongoing collaboration among a team of expert contributors that include subcontractors, specialty consultants, on-site craft workers, and teams of architects and engineers. Most commercial construction projects bear the fingerprints of numerous design and construction businesses of all sizes and areas of expertise.
As a general contractor and construction manager, McCarthy relies heavily on talented project partners to deliver every assignment. At Washington University in St. Louis, for example, our team relied on more than 60 subcontractors employing more than 650 workers to deliver a $360 million project that encompassed eight different components—from new buildings to an expansive new park.
Though collaboration is not always easy or conflict-free, when we bring together specialized skills and diverse perspectives, construction projects have the best possible opportunity for a successful outcome.
Working together is also key to expanding the pipeline of construction talent so we can effectively address the growing labor shortage. Without question, our collective success depends on our ability to attract the skilled construction workforce that will build the next generation of hospitals, schools, research facilities, hotels, office buildings, and infrastructure that will shape the future of every region.
Building the pipeline of construction workers begins by reaching out to elementary, middle-school and high-school students to introduce them to potential construction careers. It’s important to expose these young men and women to the many facets of the construction trades — from electrical and plumbing work to carpentry and general construction. We need to convey that construction is a gratifying career where individuals can earn an excellent living while bringing real value to the community. As you already know, there’s nothing better than driving by a project and knowing you had a hand in building it.
Small construction businesses, in particular, are vital to building a strong local construction community. Helping small businesses thrive enhances McCarthy’s ability to deliver high-quality, competitively priced expertise to our clients. In fact, having a diverse community of qualified industry partners nurtures creativity that leads to better solutions.
With over 90 percent of all construction companies defined as small businesses, these enterprises are the heart and soul of the construction industry. Small businesses create the majority of jobs in this country, and they typically do it within their own neighborhoods. Entrepreneurship changes the lives of people and strengthens under-served communities by providing employment and building more vibrant neighborhoods.
McCarthy’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of construction businesses reflects an overall goal to strengthen local building expertise and resources. By working with a variety of small businesses, we help increase their capacity, which benefits every contractor looking for qualified trade partners. When local businesses thrive, it positively impacts the overall quality of construction work happening across a region.
It can be tempting to point to examples of how cities lack cohesion and don’t always connect their assets, but I’m truly proud to be part of an industry where the exact opposite is true.
Collaboration is foundational to our future success, and all of us should embrace opportunities to build bridges whenever we can. At the end of the day, we are all part of the same team.
John Buescher, president, Central Region for McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., oversees operations across a 30-state region from the Midwest to the Atlantic Ocean. McCarthy is the oldest privately held national construction company and is ranked the 12th largest domestic building contractor (Engineering News-Record, May 2019). More information is available at www.mccarthy.com
