Command Alkon and the Concrete Industry Management Program join forces
Published by Lucy Stewardson,
Editorial Assistant
World Cement,
Command Alkon has announced that it is partnering with the School of Concrete and Construction Management at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). The partnership aims to combat the skilled labour shortage that, the company states, has been plaguing the heavy building materials industry for some time.
Command Alkon has recently developed a Graduate Development Program, providing graduates with the opportunity to gain real-world industry experience. It is hoped that this will render a workforce that is qualified to fill in the gaps caused by the labour shortage. Thousands of jobs are currently being added each month, as recruitment to the construction industry has been burdened by the fact that construction skills are offered by relatively few colleges and universities. Alongside this, students are often counselled to consider higher-paying construction careers.
MTSU’s School of Concrete and Construction Management offers a Concrete Industry Management (CIM) programme that is designed to combat an anticipated shortage of managers, who will be needed to support the expected growth of the concrete industry. Command Alkon and the CIM programme have fostered a close relationship, developing a programme that is designed to arm students with the experience they will need to be successful.
The 24 month programmehas been put into effect for its first year. Students rotate between different departments for the first 18 months of the programme, enabling them to get a flavour for the contributions that each team makes to the industry as a whole. For the last 6 months of the programme, students will be able to choose an area of the company in which they feel that they can thrive.
“A lot of the time, we look to hire individuals with experience in the industry – but that might be a little difficult to find in a student who has just graduated,” said Michael Wolfe, People Business Manager at Command Alkon. “The whole point of this programme is to provide an opportunity for these students to gain the experience that they need. Each department in the company has made the commitment that we are going to contribute to the student’s success in some way.”
“What I have noticed since I have been here is a very positive environment,” said Taylor Northern, a current student on the Graduate Development Program. “This is a great opportunity because I get the chance to continuously learn and work with various departments and technology systems to determine where I would excel in the industry.”
Command Alkon is the global leader in integrated supply chain technology solutions for the heavy building materials industry.
Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/the-americas/15112018/command-alkon-and-the-concrete-industry-management-program-join-forces/
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