S&F Concrete, a well-established concrete provider in the region, was facing a shortage of workers with the necessary skills for concrete layout. The company had a fully staffed CAD office with engineers and layout experts, but the team struggled to keep up with the growing number of active sites. Moreover, recruiting qualified workers with layout expertise had become increasingly difficult, as fewer candidates were entering the field each year.

To address this challenge, S&F turned to the North Atlantic States Carpenters union for a solution. In just six weeks, the Carpenters' professional instructors designed a custom training program focused on teaching digital layout skills, and equipped their regional training centers with advanced technology, including Hilti and other Total Station systems. This solution addressed a long-standing issue for S&F and the broader industry in a matter of months.

“Now, we have what could be an endless supply of people who can do layout,” said Steve Monteiro, Chief of Operations and Outside Superintendent at S&F Concrete. “Where it was very finite—we had 20 in our company who were capable of doing that—now, we might have 20 at the end of a week or two.”

By collaborating with the Carpenters to train its apprentices in layout skills, S&F quickly boosted efficiency, flexibility, and team capacity on job sites. Union carpenters can now handle layout work directly on site whenever needed, which helps save time, reduces resource wastage, and even enhances quality on the job.

The Total Station training has now been incorporated into the Carpenters’ apprenticeship programs and is available to journey-level carpenters as part of the union’s ongoing commitment to lifetime learning.

“Whether it’s at one of our training facilities across the region or on our partner’s own job site, contractors tell us what they need, and we make it happen,” said Tom Fischer, Executive Director of the North Atlantic States Carpenters Training Fund. “It’s a win-win: our partner benefits by getting state-of-the-art resources and crews with skills tested in the field, and our apprenticeship and ongoing journey-level training programs get stronger and stronger.”

The North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters (NASRCC), which represents over 30,000 professionals including carpenters, pile drivers, shop and millmen, millwrights, and floorcoverers across Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont, is a key player in building a skilled workforce in the construction industry. As part of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, one of the largest building-trades unions in the U.S., the NASRCC is uniquely positioned to provide cutting-edge training and resources to meet industry demands.

The union works with over 800 signatory partners and offers a range of services to help contractors succeed in today's competitive market. These include providing skilled crews, offering customized training programs, helping partners break into new markets, securing project funding, and navigating industry challenges.

Learn more about the North Atlantic States Carpenters and their training programs at https://www.nasrcc.org/contractors/overview.

Originally reported by Construction Dive.