hiring

Ep. 14: Women in Production with Kendal Lenton-Cooney

July 2, 2018 Hiring, Management, Production, The Tim Faller Show 00:27:04

It’s been a man’s world for a long time in Production — and home remodeling and construction in general. Change is coming, though. Hiring women for construction and Production jobs makes good business sense, especially with the labor shortage affecting our industry.

In this episode, Tim and Steve talk to Kendal Lenton-Cooney about how to attract and keep women in the remodeling business, and why it makes good business sense to proactively open up the industry to 50 percent of the population.

Kendal Lenton-Cooney is the production manager for Lenton Company in Palmdale, CA, and is a Production Manager Roundtables member. She prides herself on her attention to detail.

“I like making sure all the parts and pieces fall into place so that the job runs smoothly,” she says. Kendal began working with Lenton Company doing occasional office tasks while in high school; her father, Robert, is the company president. But working for the family business was not part of her life plan. After two years in college, Kendal worked in the information technology department at Southern Oregon University and was a receptionist at an insurance company.

When she returned home in 2010 she realized it was the “perfect job she never thought she wanted,” she says. Kendal’s the third generation to work for the company.

Kendal, Tim and Steve talk about what needs to be done to encourage more women to take jobs in Production, remodeling and construction, and how that benefits men, as well, and the business as a whole. They discuss important topics that will help, including:

  • Identifying and attracting good candidates
  • The need for support and training
  • The power of asking questions
  • Great-paying jobs available to women
  • Confronting stereotypes
  • Organizations and training resources
  • And more…

See more about the Lenton Company by visiting the website: LentonCompany.com.

 

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Ep.09: Keeping Craft Alive & Closing the Skills Gap with Rob Yagid

May 21, 2018 Hiring, Production, The Tim Faller Show 00:30:44

If you are in the home building or remodeling industries you are more than familiar with the number one issue facing companies who are looking to grow their respective businesses… Finding Good Help.

By that, we mean filling the estimated 6.5 – 7 million jobs that currently go un-filled because there are not enough skilled workers to fill these positions. This skills gap not only hurts growing companies, it affects the nation’s economy as the building and construction industries struggle to keep pace with demand.

From a post-secondary perspective, students today are encouraged or “put on a track” where college is the preferred option; sometimes ignoring the trades as a viable option for many who have interest.

In Episode 9, Tim and Steve welcome an individual who is not only bringing awareness to the issue, but he is also helping lead the charge in celebrating the trades and honoring true craftsmen who are passionate about the work they do every day.

Rob Yagid is the Editorial Director of Fine Homebuilding Magazine and the Founding Director of Keep Craft Alive, an initiative to help celebrate craftsmanship as a valuable and honorable lifelong pursuit.

What began as a simple social media hashtag has quickly grown into a national effort to create awareness, build support and help close the skills gap experienced by so many in the industry.

Through a partnership with Skills USA, Keep Craft Alive provided more than $70,000 in scholarship funds in the 2017-18 academic year, supporting students in various disciplines (plumbing, HVAC, electrical, etc.).

Tim, Steve and Rob discuss the skills gap issue, the work Rob’s team at Keep Craft Alive is doing and some of the other aspects that this employment disparity is causing within the industry.

A great episode about a very timely and important topic. Listen today!

How Can You Help? How Can You Get Involved?

Visit Keep Craft Alive’s website and learn more about how you can support this great initiative. Donate, get involved, follow them on social media, use the #KeepCraftAlive hashtag, buy a t-shirt… whatever you can do to help.

 

Registration for the 2018 Production Conference is Now Open!

After an amazing turnout last year (more than 100 attendees) we are excited to host the 2nd Annual Production Conference, held alongside the 2018 Remodelers Summit in beautiful New Orleans, coming up in September. Register Today!