BIC Magazine September 2015
Austin Industrial, an Austin Industries company, is a merit shop, 100-percent employee-owned company and has been a provider of construction, maintenance, turnaround specialty and plant services to the oil, gas and chemical; energy (power and ethanol); and manufacturing industries for more than 50 years. Austin Industrial prides itself in delivering exceptional service with particular emphasis on safety, qualified teams and performance. Austin Industrial approaches all of your contracting needs throughout the U.S. and Canada with a focus on People, Performance and Solutions. With the industry workforce trends showing an increase in the generation gaps and skilled employees, Austin Industrial has identified its need to help increase the workforce to include skilled employees of all job levels and is committed to doing so.
Austin Industrial President Barry Babyak said, “Austin Industrial is and always will be in favor of developing the workforce throughout the industrial construction industry. Whether it’s company training, partnering with workforce foundations and organizations or volunteering and recruiting at high schools, colleges and military, our company will always show a high level of participation in efforts to increase the workforce.”
Austin Industrial shows involvement to aid in bridging the generation and skill level gaps by its various involvements with today’s youth from elementary to college students, along with efforts to recruit and train military and employees.
Creating opportunities for high school students
In 2006, Austin Industrial shared involvement with the formation of the Construction Careers Youth Committee (CCYC). This committee is composed of owners, contractors, Career and Technical Education (CTE) educators and organization representatives from Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), Construction & Maintenance Education Foundation (CMEF) and Houston Business Roundtable (HBR). The CCYC was created to encourage and support growth of the construction industry workforce through education at public schools.
Austin Industrial maintains a high level of participation in CCYC activities including Pasadena Expo (Industry Career Day with local high schools), Magic Camp (Mentor a Girl in Construction), Adopt-A-School partnerships, high school career fairs and providing subject matter experts to speak to classrooms about construction. Austin Industrial continuously works to improve the construction industry image through direct involvement in high school career and technical centers.
The Adopt-A-School program that Austin Industrial, in conjunction with the CCYC, participates in focuses on using industry resources to expose students to relevant hands-on skill development and works in conjunction with high schools and career and technical departments to develop a meaningful sustainable mentor program. Since its inception, Austin Industrial has led as chair of the committee and continually employs and develops students through the Adopt-A-School programs.
Donnie McCoy, Austin Industrial’s senior operations manager and CCYC chairman, has received numerous awards for his efforts, with the support of Austin Industrial, for the Adopt-A-School program. In 2013, he was awarded “Outstanding Service Gulf Coast Independent School District CTE Area 6,” along with “Outstanding Service to Career & Technology Association of Texas.” In 2014, McCoy was named “CMEF Committee Chair of the Year.”
To help further the company’s efforts for high school education, Babyak serves as a board member for the Galena Park Education Foundation and Scholarship Committee. Austin Industrial also contributes to annual donations to the Clear Creek Education Foundation. Austin Industrial is affiliated with 22 local high schools and vocational schools to acquire NCCER curriculum through the Houston area and is striving to mirror this program in the Southeast.
Preparing, educating elementary to eighth grade students
To help educate and prepare today’s youth for the workforce, Austin Industrial is actively involved with Junior Achievement. Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organization solely committed to increasing readiness and education for today’s workforce through experience and hands-on programs. Austin Industrial participates in Junior Achievement programs that prepare students for real-world situations, such as obtaining and managing money and educating students about the value of community contributions.
Austin Industrial’s employee-owners have contributed to numerous Junior Achievement programs by volunteering their time to instruct students on the fundamentals of business. Austin Industrial’s employee-owners volunteer to teach five-week courses to second and third grade classes, and one-day courses to fourth grade classes. Austin Industrial has also expanded its participation to station sponsors at Junior Achievement’s event, JA Inspire, at Lee College and the Pasadena Convention Center. These events involve eighth grade students from various school districts and aid to increase job awareness. The events allow students to interact with business representatives from hundreds of companies throughout southeast Texas. The JA Inspire events have an attendance of anywhere from 3,000 to 8,300 students and allow participating companies to help educate the students on the industry, improve the industry’s image and create awareness for the various future career opportunities.
College, new graduate workforce development
Austin Industrial heavily focuses on participating in various organizations to support colleges and students, and actively recruits and employs college interns and new graduates to help grow and develop their skills to prepare for the industry’s workforce and future growth.
Austin Industrial is continuously expanding its internship program to utilize best practices, increase partnerships with colleges and enhance the intern’s long-term benefits of gaining useful construction-related skills. Austin Industrial’s Intern and New Graduate Technical Development program is designed to provide a valuable introduction to the industrial construction industry and consists of several development blocks focused by department. These blocks include: estimating, purchasing, project controls and craft coordination. The key goals for this program are to familiarize the intern or new graduate with heavy industrial experience; craft coordination roles; Austin Industrial company culture; and processes for estimating, purchasing and project controls. Each intern will spend an evenly distributed amount of his time working and learning about these functional areas. To grow and recruit for these programs, Austin Industrial works with schools such as University of Houston, Lamar University and Auburn University.
Another professional organization Austin Industrial is partnered with that is dedicated to increasing jobs is the East Harris County Manufacturers Association (EHCMA). According to EHCMA, “With over $40 billion in announced projects in the region and over 50 percent of the region’s current employee base retiring over the next few years, filling the pipeline of prospective employees with certified and skilled workers is imperative.”
Austin Industrial heavily participates in the EHCMA Workforce Development Committee, which identifies and addresses manufacturing and refining jobs available, the amount of qualified workers needed and how to bridge these gaps. Through contributions, Austin Industrial supports scholarships for San Jacinto College and Lee College directed toward process technology and craft skills. These scholarships are used to increase each student’s capabilities and interest in obtaining skills and certifications required to enter the petrochemical and manufacturing workforce.
The Process and Industrial Construction Industry Advisory Board for the University of Houston is another group Austin Industrial’s employee-owners are involved with. The University of Houston has the one and only program centered on process and industrial construction management in the U.S. The board is used to review and update the curriculum for the degree program.
Anthony Tacker, Austin Industrial’s contracts review director and construction advisory board member/treasurer, said, “This is the perfect degree program for students looking to go into the process and industrial construction industry. You get to be instructed by the industries’ leaders.
“Austin Industrial is in the process of looking at developing an endowed scholarship with the support of Austin Industries.”
In the Southeast region of the U.S., Austin Industrial is involved with the Auburn Pulp and Paper Foundation, which helps to provide scholarships to Auburn University students specializing in one of the pulp, paper and bio-resource options. These scholarships are only awarded to the top performing students who have a serious interest in a career in the pulp, paper and bio-resource industry. In this region, Austin Industrial has employee-owners on the board of directors for the Auburn Pulp and Paper Foundation, as well as Aiken Technical College and Augusta Technical College.
Additional workforce development
Along with its involvement in the increasing education throughout schools of all levels, Austin Industrial also aims to recruit and train the U.S.’ retired military veterans, as well as current and new employees. “It is very important for Austin Industrial as a company to support our U.S. military. We do this by providing jobs to our troops after they are honorably discharged,” said Babyak.
Austin Industrial was also one of the first groups of contractors to participate in the development of NCCER. Austin Industrial strives to grow the skill level of its employee-owners by supporting and encouraging them to obtain NCCER certifications. Other programs Austin Industrial uses to grow its employee-owners include the Helper Progression Program, Supervisory Training, Austin University, Keystone Leadership Development Group and the Cornerstone Emerging Leaders.
Kyle Chrisman, Austin Industrial’s director of employment and training, said, “Being an employee-owned company, our employee-owners are the basis of our success. Providing them with training and development opportunities and career growth is a key focus to operational excellence, retention and ultimately positioning the company for continued success.”
For more information, visit www.austinindustrial.com or call (713) 641-3400.
