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Workforce recruitment

Bush Announces 4 Employee Promotions

Studies show employees look for new employment opportunities when they become concerned about their career growth. As a result, career advancement paths are critical to employee retention and overall job satisfaction. At Bush, we offer career tracks across departments and continuously look for ways to grow and challenge every team member. Chris, Ryan, Patrick and Richard’s performance met every expectation, and we’re pleased to announce their promotions.

Bush Construction Employee Promotions

Chris Porter, Bush Construction SuperintendentChris Porter | Superintendent II

Chris has been promoted from Project Superintendent I to Project Superintendent II. Since joining the team, Chris spent a brief stint assisting in estimating where he reviewed his project’s information before moving on-site at the Wilson Building in Clinton. Chris has played a key role in successful job site management and his ability to facilitate solutions to challenges that pop up in historic restoration projects is impressive. We’re excited to have Chris take the next step in his career at Bush.

 

 

Ryan DeanRyan Dean | Preconstruction Manager II

Ryan began his career at Bush as a Project Engineer Intern. Since then, he’s risen from Project Engineer to Project Manager and most recently Preconstruction Manager I. Ryan has flourished in his role as Preconstruction Manager thus his promotion to Preconstruction Manager II. Ryan exemplifies Bush’s commitment to providing clients with a great construction experience and embodies what it means to be a great team player. Ryan’s career progression has been through his own willingness to grow and learn. Keep up the good work, Ryan!

 

 

Patrick TurnerPatrick Turner | Project Manager II

Patrick re-joined our Team in May 2021 and jumped right into running successful projects. His keen eye for detail and ability to listen before acting has provided the opportunity to improve internal processes and strengthen relationships with owners and sub-contractors. Patrick’s drive, commitment to grow and ability to clearly communicate are just a few reasons why he’s been promoted from Project Manager I to Project Manager II. Patrick’s efforts will continue to make our construction team stronger and more efficient. Congratulations on a well-deserved promotion, Patrick!

 

 

Richard HenningRichard Henning | Project Manager I

Richard joined Bush Construction as a Project Engineer, and we’re delighted to announce his promotion to Project Manager I! Richard has taken the reigns and successfully been running a very large historic development project, the Clinton Culinary project and many others. He’s shown great drive and initiative in learning the ropes, and we couldn’t be more excited for Richard’s future at Bush.

Dena Waddell-Genz Joins As Executive Assistant

Bush Construction announced Dena Waddell-Genz has joined the team as Executive Assistant to the President and COO. Waddell-Genz joins Bush Construction from MoboTrex where she spent four years as the Executive Assistant to the President/CEO and replaces Erica Sellnau-Allan who has been promoted to Head of Employee Engagement.

“Dena’s former experience at MoboTrex and John Deere World Headquarters brings a powerful combination of organizational management and decision-making skills,” said AJ Loss, Bush Construction President/CEO. “We’re committed to challenging and growing our people so that they can provide customers with a great construction experience, and we couldn’t be luckier to have Dena help us get there.”

“I’m thrilled to join Bush Construction for so many reasons,” said Waddell-Genz. “The Executive Assistant position is a role that I’ve had a very deep passion for, and I look forward to working with such a fabulous array of team players! Additionally, what I love most about Bush Construction is the work-life balance and the feeling of being appreciated by my coworkers. This is definitely the business environment I have been searching for, and I look forward to many years of dedicated service.”

3 Ways to Improve Workforce Recruitment in the Construction Industry

Whether you’re building a team for an upcoming construction project or preparing for future growth, assembling a team of dependable, highly motivated, and skilled employees is critical to your success. While it can be extremely difficult to attract and retain these team members, here are three tactics for HR managers in the construction industry to employ.

1. Reach Potential Workers Early–Very Early

Before the pandemic, Bush Construction visited classrooms ranging from preschool to eighth grade.

“We wanted to familiarize students with the different opportunities in construction,” said Lea Ann Dies, Senior Human Resources Generalist with McCarthy-Bush Corporation.

Reaching potential workers before they have made it to college or even high school is an effective long-term effort to bring awareness to careers in the skilled trades. In addition, talking about movements such as Generation T also helps students understand that organizations are working very hard to changing the perception of the trades.

Studies show that far too often many make the wrong decision when choosing a job. There are plenty of reasons:

  1. People are motivated by high salaries even though studies show there’s no correlation between pay and job satisfaction.
  2. Many are unwilling to try a new job if they are unhappy in their current one.
  3. Many do not know their own talents.

“Obviously, the messaging is different based on the age of the group we are presenting to,” Dies said, “But the idea is to reach children and students early so they can understand the types of opportunities available in the trades and learn about our role in the community.”

“We look forward to hopefully picking classroom visits back up in the fall!” Dies said.

2. Internships & Job Fairs

According to the Harvard Business Review, approximately three out of four college students intern while in school. For many students, internships end up being much more than a way of gaining real-world experience while they’re still in college. They can turn into full-time jobs post-graduation. This year, Bush Construction hired two former interns into full-time positions.

“For college students, an internship is a great way to gain experience, get an insider’s view into a specific career path, and test out whether that profession is right for them,” Dies said. “On the flip side, an internship program enables employers to build a steady pipeline of young, qualified, and talented candidates.”

This summer, Bush Construction is proud to have another intern, Trevor Viren as part of their team.  Trevor is a Quad-City native who will be going into his senior year at the University of Wisconsin – Platteville. With a major in Construction Management and a minor in Business Administration, Trevor will be working on finalizing quality control checklists with Bush Construction’s project management team.

In addition, attending job fairs is another recruiting and brand awareness tool. Many educational institutions hold career fairs to expose their students to potential employers with diverse hiring needs. Registration has begun for fall recruiting events, with most colleges and universities shifting towards offering virtual career fairs because of COVID-19. Iowa State University, for example, will be hosting its Engineering Career Fair on September 15th and 16th. Developing relationships with vocational schools is also a good way to learn about the talent pool that will be available after students complete the program(s).

3. Online Recruiting Platforms

Whether you are recruiting for in-office or field positions, employees are likely to track down your website, visit your social media profiles, and review third-party sites like Glassdoor to learn more about your company’s culture. Alternatively, searching for the right talent on digital platforms such as LinkedIn, Indeed, CareerBuilder, and more will help staff your workforce.

To learn more about careers available at Bush Construction, visit https://www.bushconstruct.com/meet-the-team/careers/.

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