A skilled workforce is key in delivering projects on schedule and on budget in the construction industry. With its contractor- employer partnership, IMPACT, and the National Training Fund (NTF), Iron Workers (IW) ensures a job-ready workforce through comprehensive training and accredited qualification.
As primary liaisons between the employer, customer and the workforce, ironworker foremen and superintendents are essential in making a construction business successful. The IW foreman training is based on the NTF's comprehensive training manual, which is part of a three-step, structured training process designed to develop highly skilled foremen.
Candidates for foreman training must be skilled journeymen or experienced apprentice ironworkers who have completed first aid/CPR training and the 10-hour OSHA training course in the U.S. or an equivalent in Canada. The OSHA 30-hour course is preferred. Candidates must complete the IW foreman training course and on-the-job training per the NTF's training manual guidelines. Foremen responsibilities can be challenging as they work on many types of jobs with different crews. The IW training prepares them to stay one step ahead and succeed in challenging situations to ensure the crews work efficiently and safely per standards and specifications.
Participants learn the roles and responsibilities of a foreman and how to create an efficient work team, communicate effectively, apply problem-solving skills, document and maintain records, maintain labor management relations, plan and schedule work, implement a safety program and ensure quality.
"A foreman is probably the most important person on any job because he or she can make or break it," said Brian Brady, director of training for the IW Local 40/361 training center. "Iron Workers' foreman training is taught by people who do the job every day, and they use the latest technology available."
As management representatives on jobsites and first-line jobsite supervisors, ironworker superintendents are a critical link between the production process and making a profit. They represent the employer and ensure projects are delivered on schedule for maximum return on investment. Contractors often report trouble filling supervisory positions on the jobsite. The IW superintendent training relieves the employer's burden.
The IW superintendent course is for journeyman ironworkers who have completed foreman training or have experience as a foreman, general foreman or superintendent. Participants must complete level one, which involves self-study coupled with online learning exercises, before completing the group-based level two. The course focuses on the responsibilities of a superintendent and how to manage project schedules, the jobsite and safety. Participants learn communication skills, how to close out a project, and basic construction finance and law.
"The IW superintendent training is not just a 'show up and get your certificate' course; it provides a foundation to oversee and organize jobsites and subcontractors," said Dave Uguccioni, superintendent for the Walters Group, which is in a joint venture with Alberici Western Constructors Ltd.
For more information, visit www.iron workers.org or call (202) 383-4800.
