The Jurgensen Companies have been focused on workforce development for decades–and they have no plans to slow down any time soon. Living out their workplace values of “Think, Work, Learn,” The Jurgensen Companies are constantly thinking of new ways to attract talented, hardworking people to the construction industry.
The Jurgensen Companies includes more than two dozen different companies within various specialties:
- Heavy Highway Construction
- Aggregate and Asphalt Production
- Tank Storage
- Asphalt Paving
- Milling/Storm/Sewer
Despite the varied backgrounds of the affiliate companies, Jurgensen as a whole is overwhelmingly dedicated to recruiting more people to careers in construction.
“We’re working hard–and we’ve been working hard–to build the awareness of the potential of the construction industry and find ways to increase the public’s understanding of the value of working in construction,” said Jackie Alf, Executive Vice Present at Jurgensen Companies.
As the company plans ahead, it’s keeping its eye on the upcoming turnover that many construction companies are facing in the next 5-10 years. Retirement of lifetime workers at companies across the country is shrinking the workforce, and Jurgensen knows that it will take a commitment from the entire construction field to fill the gaps.
Getting the right people into training programs and jobs begins well before the actual hiring event, and Jurgensen has been a leader in workforce development initiatives. The company was an initial supporter of I Build America – Ohio, offering leadership, time, and resources to get the movement started in the Greater Cincinnati community and beyond.
“We are always looking for ways to do things differently,” Jackie said. “We want to get as many young people as possible interested in the industry as a potential career.”
Some of the programs the company operates are internal hiring events, during which they host prospective hires and teach them about the industry and the various roles and career paths that are possible. Jurgensen also created several more hands-on programs, like their successful college co-op program, which has been in existence for the majority of the company’s history and focuses on training and educating college students through on-site education and workplace training.
Recently, Jurgensen celebrated its first high school signing day, during which the company solidified a job offer to a high school student who chose to enter the workforce directly after graduating from Cincinnati’s Princeton High School.
“He served in all different positions within our company to really learn the ins and outs of how we work,” Jackie said. “He also worked out in the field, and once he graduated, we started giving him the time and hours that he wanted. He’s now working with us full time, and it’s been a great success.”
In addition to their programming, Jurgensen is widely active across several social media platforms, including Facebook and Linked In, and promotes hiring events nearly weekly to get the word out to communities that they may not otherwise reach. This includes adding the hashtag #ibuildamericaOHIO to nearly every post and event related to workforce development–making it simple for other companies to follow suit. The more that individual companies use the #ibuildamericaOHIO, the more robust the feed becomes, which ultimately benefits the industry as a whole.
To learn more about The Jurgensen Companies or I Build America – Ohio, follow them on social media or visit their website.
