A few weeks ago, Jennifer Wilkerson joined us to discuss training, education, and recruitment. Today we’ve invited her back to talk about women in construction. Jennifer Vice President of Innovation and Advancement at the National Center for Construction Education and Research. 00:00 - All in the FamilyTyler asks Jennifer to give a run-down of the welding business that she and her husband own. Jennifer was the business manager for several years after leaving her job as a high school English teacher. Over the years, their two daughters, aged 21 and 31, have taken different meandering routes into that business or the broader construction industry. This means that Jennifer speaks from a position of rich experience when it comes to women in construction. Eddie asks how the job search went for her younger daughter, who shifted to construction from a forensic-science program. Jennifer said that construction companies were quite eager to welcome a young prospect interested in becoming a superintendent. 06:09 - The ObstaclesEddie asks Jennifer to discuss the obstacles that keep women from entering the construction industry. She recounts a survey of elementary-age girls that revealed the primary concern most of them had: “I’m not strong enough.” They simply don’t realize that the construction industry is not all about lifting stuff. Tyler shares about how much he enjoys taking his daughter to Home Depot or to visit a work site. Eddie follows up with some memories about the bros’ grandma, who had a toolbox of her own. Tyler asks about the pressure to recruit women at this moment in the industry. Jennifer says that it’s a matter of need. The industry needs to tap into all sectors of the workforce if it wants to resolve the labor shortage. 10:42 - Research ResultsJennifer shares about research that NCCER conducted regarding women in construction. They surveyed 176 tradeswomen to see what changes might make the industry more welcoming. They also studied other surveys that have been on this topic.Here are some of the findings:Women do things more thoughtfully and meticulously in situations where men might to revert to brute strength.Women bring a sense of teamwork and emotional cohesion to a team. Men who worked on teams with women rated themselves higher on productivity then men on teams without women. Jennifer attributes this to the fact that many women are encouragers.Women bring a diversity of perspectives to a crew and a worksite.We talk about that many women got into construction for the money and then found themselves taking great pride and satisfaction in seeing completed projects. 18:10 - Concerns of Prospective Workers Eddie asks Jennifer to share about the concerns that women have coming into the industry. She mentions concerns about sexual harassment but expresses that the industry has come a long way in this area. She gives an example of a company that invested genuine resources and thought toward ensuring that concerns were recognized and addressed. Another concern is accommodation for mothers. She says it’s important to consider some creativity in shift work to enable women to address concerns of childcare. She suggests some other creative solutions, such as designated parking for parents. Many of these family-friendly considerations would be beneficial for everyone.We step into the topic of porta-potties and the fact that most of them are designed with no consideration to feminine hygiene products. The companies say they’ve never been asked for these simple features.Eddie asks about the best ways to ensure that women’s perspectives are making it into planning conversations. Jennifer explains how much of a difference that makes. She encourages women to speak up to the leaders of their organizations. They want to hear. 28:34 - Safety and Team ChemistryEddie shares his speculation that women are more risk-averse than most men. Jennifer confirms that this is the case. She shares about a woman who plays “Mama bear” as a safety enforcement specialist. Eddie refers to the cowboy mindset that many men take until there’s an accident. Tyler and Eddie share about an experience with a woman who became an integral member of their detailing team. Eddie refers to the clarity she brought to communication and the attention to detail that she brought to the detailing process. 36:29 - Megaphone MessageHere’s what Jennifer says with her megaphone this time around: Give women a chance. Be a company that women want to join. Think about your project sites. Ask the women on your team what you can do to be more welcoming to women. Think about your daughter, your wife, your sister. Find Jennifer on LinkedInCheck out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

It’s hot when you weld.Today we’re back around to the topic of young people coming into the industry. Today, we’re specifically discussing ways to help young people with an interest in the construction industry. This conversation brings to mind times when we’ve learned from newbies who are approaching industry-standard software for the first time. We encourage educators and people within the industry to encourage young prospects to explore. Help them wade into the waters of Bluebeam and other software that are at the heart of design and construction today. Here are some links to get you started: Bluebeam’s academic program: www.bluebeam.com/academic Bluebeam University: www.bluebeam.com/bluebeam-universityCheck out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

If you're interested in learning more about the construction of Hoover Dam, scroll to the end of the show notes for links.00:00 - A Quick Dam Joke, the Consortium, and Some StatsWe question our ability to keep our puns in check. Sorry, Mom.Then we move on to the contractors. We discuss the consortium called Six Companies Inc. that won the bid at nearly $49 million, approximately $860 million in today’s dollars.Eddie makes a conveniently timed comparison to the Washington Monument. The Hoover Dam is 726 feet tall–almost 200 feet taller than the Washington Monument. Only 6 buildings in the US were taller than the dam when it was built.We discuss some stats:-4.4 million cubic yards of concrete were used in the project. That is enough to pave a two-lane road from Seattle to Miami or a four-foot-wide sidewalk around the Earth at the Equator or enough to pave a two-lane road from Seattle to Miami.-Its base is as thick as the length of 2 football end-to-end-It has 4 intake towers (30’ diameter each) that can carry enough water to fill 900 bathtubs in only one second. That means 1,448,100 “bathtubfuls” of water will have passed through the dam in the time it takes you to listen to this episode. 07:15 - Construction Costs and Power OutputTyler mentions that the cost of the initial construction, which finished in 1936, wasn't paid off until 1987. Eddie discusses the way that we handle financing for capital projects, spending not just tomorrow’s money–but money that won’t come in for decades. We compare these expenses to the absolutely monumental amount of economic impact that the electricity from the dam has had. Here’s where the 4 billion kilowatt-hours each year goes:19% to Arizona23% to Nevada58% percent goes to California (15% to LA, which is 270 miles away)10:46 - Hoovervilles and FatalitiesEddie fills the gaps in Tyler’s history education with an explanation of the Hoovervilles from the Great Depression. Hoover didn’t get much positive PR aside from this dam. We discuss the desperation of the Great Depression is shown by the fact that the ability to line up workers for a job to do this. Tyler shares the troubling coincidence is the fact that the first and last men to die on this project were father and son. Thinking about these human costs leads us into a discussion about the structure of incentives and penalties that drove the owners of Six Companies to push the pace of construction. 19:53 - Takeaways: Big Projects, Green Energy, Old-school DraftingWe discuss the fact that bold projects lead to emboldened people who move on to even bolder projects. Sometimes biting off more than you can chew leads to growth. Tyler makes the point that this dam was a green-energy project long before the term “green energy” was coined. He also expresses awe at the thought that all of the drafting for this massive project would have been done by hand. Eddie stops short of calling himself a history buff, but he expresses a deep respect for the teams of designers and workers who accomplished massive projects like this with so little help from what we consider advanced technologies. Tyler invites you to submit your ideas for future research-based projects. If you’re interested in additional details about the Hoover Dam, explore these sources: EIA.govUSBR.govB1M video: compares the world’s largest dams to other structuresLake Mead historical water-level chartNPS.govBechtel’s page about construction of the damOld publicity/education videoLibrary of Congress Photos Video of the physics and engineering involvedCheck out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

Today we bring you the last of our February series on things we love about the construction industry. Today, we're talking about variety.When it’s Friday and you just wanna go home. What keeps you there?Eddie and Tyler point out that you could be in a dull, repetitive cubicle job that is going to be taken over by AI. But instead, you’re in a field where you encounter something new every day. There are tampers to ride, new guys to send out for the beam stretcher, all kinds of fresh and exciting variety. And, yes, there are new regulations, new owners, new contractors to work with. Is all that variety wonderful? Probably not. Still, it’s not dull. So hang in there at least until lunch.Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

Commissioning agents Jeffrey Michael and Darren Draper discuss the intricacies of their work in ensuring buildings operate as intended. They delve into the testing procedures, relationships in construction projects, and the vital role of independent objectivity. The podcast also explores conflict resolution, training challenges in construction engineering, and the importance of finding your worth as an engineer.

We’re back with some more love. Today is the third episode in our “For the love of…” series.Eddie loves solving problems. He loves seeing all of the pieces laid out in front of him and then figuring out how to put them all together. His favorite is solving problems as part of a team. He loves to spitball ideas and build off of the ideas of his teammates until there’s a solid, impressive, satisfying result.Tyler expresses his appreciation for the fact that construction still involves a hefty amount of face-to-face interaction when a group of people get together in a room and hash it out. With coffee, of course.Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

Today we’re talking to Jennifer Wilkerson of the National Center for Construction Education and Research, where she’s now the Vice President of Innovation and Advancement. Our conversation today focuses on the recruitment and training of tomorrow’s skilled trades workforce. 01:20 - TSwift, JWilk, and the Family Welding BusinessWe recorded this episode pre-Superbowl, so we start out with Tyler’s speculations about a potential earth-shaking breakup that might follow the game. Jennifer shares with us about her path from aspiring financial advisor to high school English teacher to VP of Innovation and Advancement at the NCCER. She’s now been with NCCER for 14 years. Tyler asks Jennifer to share about how hiring has changed since the days when she and her husband started their welding business. She discusses the cultural shifts that have made it necessary to have a greater amount of structured training. 08:15 - Poaching and JumpingEddie refers to the retention challenges that employers face, and we discuss employee etiquette. The job market makes it a serious challenge. Jennifer points out how much of a teacher mindset many tradespeople have. We share about how we’ve seen that within ABSI. 12:53 - NCCERJennifer outlines what the NCCER offers. Much of their work has to do with guiding contractors toward the rich network of organizations that can provide them with support in hiring and training employees as well as other aspects of managing their business. She points out that many community colleges and high schools are experiencing a long-overdue pendulum swing back toward training for the trades. She mentions the spirit of cooperation at a recent American Association of Community Colleges conference. Jennifer mentions that employers need to adjust their expectations as far as how much experience they can expect workers to have when they enter. Many of these incoming workers will have training that is wide but shallow. Employers need to be prepared to fill the gaps. 17:10 - High Schools and Shop ClassTyler asks about the responsiveness of high schools to the return to an emphasis on shop classes. Jennifer shares how the NCCER helps high schools navigate this process. The need is clearly there, but the infrastructure has deteriorated and significant cultural attitudes need to be addressed. Jennifer explains how culture defined success after WWII and how it has developed since then.Eddie asks about the differences in employee demand between different regions and markets. Jennifer shares some insights on this and also touches on the advancement opportunities present within construction–including owning your own business. 25:50 - CollegesTyler discusses the structure of college curricula and how it provides a perceived path toward a career. He sees this as a weak point in the construction industry. Eddie talks about his son’s recent experience with a surveyor.Jennifer shares about the fact that contractors don’t know how to reach out to schools. She discusses the persistence required to make these connections. 31:15 - Urgency and How to Take ActionEddie asks Jennifer for some numbers. She shares these troubling ones:-By 2025, 25% of the current workforce will retire.-By 2028, it will be 30%. That’s almost a third of the workforce.-For every 5 people that retire out of construction, only 1 is entering. She points out that we have to establish a consistent presence in the schools. Eddie points out that Gen Z seems to have a “Show me the money” attitude.Tyler asks Jennifer for action points for contractors seeking young workers, and she encourages them to go to BYF.org, NCCER’s site designed to help people build their future. The site contains packets of activities and materials for career days.Tyler mentions the Heavy Metal Summer Experience that we discussed with Angie Simon. Jennifer also suggests that you ask about helping math teachers with lessons that are connected to workplace application. 39:48 - Megaphone MessageHere’s Jennifer’s message to the construction industry: Carpe diem. Seize the day. Build something that will last longer than you. This is the time. Get off your a**. Get on your feet and go visit your local schools. Do something to address this problem.Find Jennifer on LinkedInCheck out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

Sometimes they were forged in the fire, but we have some really good relationships because of our involvement in the construction industry. Tyler shares about his amusement at what people consider difficult in his new field of work. He says it just doesn’t compare to the challenges he encountered in construction. Eddie encourages you to not underestimate the benefits of working really hard alongside others. Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

Today we talk to Dr. Noland White, Professor of Psychology at Georgia College & State University. IMPORTANT NOTE: Today’s conversation touches on issues of mental health. Although we hope you find the insights helpful, we want to be clear that this content is for educational purposes only. If you’re experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression, please talk to a medical professional. 02:06 - Settling InDr. White gives us a run-down of his academic and professional history. We discuss the benefits of ropes courses. It’s all about facing challenges–even if you don’t overcome them. Dr. White lists some of the courses he teaches and shares about his research pursuits. This includes everything from intimate relationships to ADHD. 07:59 - ConfrontationTyler explains that we invited Dr. White today to talk to us about how to handle confrontation. Dr. White explains that, first of all, it’s a lot easier to know what to do than it is to actually do it. That being said, he explains that the first step is to not take the conflict personally. Eddie asks about the physiological responses to conflict. Dr. White talks about how these responses can be the signal that it might be time to step back. Let tempers cool. Do a “physiological sigh” and let the body’s fight or flight reflex recede. We also discuss “box breathing.” Tyler talks about the challenges of focusing on these things in a true, real-world moment of confrontation. Dr. White says it certainly requires practice–and maybe getting feedback from your peers about how you handle situations. 17:40 - It’s Almost the JobEddie mentions that confrontation is a huge portion of the work done by many people in construction. He asks Dr. White to explain how to approach these situations when you know they’re coming. We discuss the importance of framing thoughtful questions that focus on the problem itself rather than the personal tensions.Tyler confesses to blaming and assuming and also being a dumb butt. But he also says that he’s made progress toward coming to people with a more controlled tone. He mentions that self-deprecation can really help. Eddie explains that recognizing the day as a series of confrontations–some large, some small–can lead you to maintain a readiness and keep the skillset ready for use. 25:23 - De-escalationTyler asks for concrete steps toward deescalation. Here’s Dr. White’s advice-Recognize when you need to step away and digest the situation. If it can wait until you’re calmer, then wait.-Realize that a direct confrontation doesn’t need to be bad. Front-loading of your work environment can help with this. -Think about the best physical space and time of the day to have the conversation that needs to be had.31:18 - Email and Tips for the TimidEddie requests advice for those who tend to avoid confrontation. Dr. White shares the importance of setting up strategies that enable you to have a couple productive confrontational conversations. This can break the loop that leads to an increasing fear of confrontation. Think of it as baby steps. We discuss what to do when you’re tempted to write one of those spicy emails. Write the text and then let it sit for a few hours. Revisit it in a calmer state and revise before sending. Doris Kearns Goodwin does indeed claim that Lincoln practiced this simmer-down delayed-send routine. Several of them he never even sent.We discuss the fact that email and text messages are ripe for misunderstanding because of the absence of nonverbal communication. Eddie mentions that he wishes he’d have held onto a few of his from years gone by.Another solution? Pick up the dang phone. Let someone hear your tone of voice. Tyler mentions Cal Newport’s thoughts on email. 42:28 - AnxietyTyler asks Dr. White for an explanation of anxiety. Tyler mentions that he didn’t experience true anxiety until his 20s. Dr. White shares his thoughts: Anxiety has various physiological manifestations. Anxiety comes from various sources or social circumstances. Anxiety is your body reacting to a situation that your mind for some reason perceives as a threat. Part of the solution is to identify the source of the anxiety. We discuss some of the ways to get above the anxiety-inducing situations. Reach out to those who are in positions to give you insights and help. 52:20 - Megaphone MessageDr. White shares this insight: You don’t have to be perfect. You can ask for help. You don’t have to do things the way you’ve always done them. Despite all of your experiences and all you’ve done, can you imagine that someone else’s experience might have been different. Check out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

Surely you’ve done this with your family. And surely they’re eyes have rolled every time.For the month of February, we’re talking about love… The love of construction. Today we focus on the pride we all feel when we encounter projects to which we’ve contributed. Tyler talks about his Wawa work, which didn’t exactly overwhelm his wife. Eddie goes all the way back to his time in college in order to compare the tangibility of your work. We discuss the satisfaction of being able to point to a brick-and-mortar outcome of your invested time.Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!