Crown Point Builders is actively taking on the labor crisis. The company works with its local high schools and community colleges not only to find future employees, but also to introduce youth to the building industry.
Jennifer Breister, daughter of Paul and Lynne Breister and Crown Point’s project manager, set up a day for students to visit a jobsite and observe how the company uses a panelized system to build homes. Another event enabled textile students at the high school to visit a home and see “design as it applies to human interaction and style,” Breister says.
In terms of career paths, Crown Point often hires new employees from the building trades program at a local community college. The company also offers a paid internship in conjunction with that program. The full-time internship lasts eight weeks and teaches students “an array of tasks and situations with a strong emphasis on workplace safety.” Next up: an apprenticeship under the state of Iowa’s apprenticeship curriculum.
Teaching and training don’t apply only to students. Employees are encouraged to seek out training and learning opportunities, whether online or in-person. Crown Point sees that as an investment in its future as well, Breister says.
“We have a fairly young workforce with a lot of potential,” Breister says. “Our management team is focusing on creating set criteria for measuring skill attainment and growth. We believe in promoting from within and are working to create a more formal system of training and evaluating to spur more growth and development.”
