PC Construction Company Blog

LDP ACADEMY ON THE JOB IN DC

January 11, 2012

Participants in our Leadership Development Program (LDP) met in Washington, DC, for the annual LDP Academy, a two-day event that provides technical learning opportunities while encouraging networking and the sharing of lessons learned and challenges. Highlights of the Academy included presentations by PC Construction managers and executives as well as a tour of the DC Water Slurry Wall and Tankage project.

The Academy also focused on the sharing of experiences, tools, and ideas between the participants. Office Engineer Todd Riordan said, “I found the LDP conference to be an incredibly useful experience both from a team building standpoint and as an idea tank for ways in which we can help shape the company.”

Dating back nearly 40 years, our Leadership Development Program is one of a kind, providing entry level construction professionals with a flexible learning and development plan to guide their career in construction. The program builds upon the technical aptitude they gained previously in the college classroom setting by pairing it with on-the-job experiences and coaching from skilled construction professionals. Click here to learn more about our Leadership Development Program.

We are also pleased to welcome the newest addition to our Leadership Development Program – Mike Keenan. Mike is a 2010 graduate of Wentworth Institute of Technology and is currently in his office engineering rotation on the UOSA Nutrient Compliance Facilities project in Centreville, Virginia. Congratulations, Mike!

Participants of the Leadership Development Program pause for a photo during a site tour as part of the annual LDP Academy

APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM IN INITIAL STAGES IN DC

November 22, 2011

One of my initiatives this year was to work with our project team in the District of Columbia and our Human Resources group to build a District-approved Apprenticeship Program for our projects in the Washington, DC area. Apprenticeship standards were developed for the Cement Mason, Form Builder, and Operating Engineer trades and all were approved by the District’s Apprenticeship Council. This month, our first apprentice joined the PC Construction team at our current project for DC Water. Continue Reading →

FIELD OFFICE MANAGERS GATHER IN VERMONT

September 28, 2011

PC has been through a lot of change recently—in addition to all the adjustments required by the economic turmoil, we’ve adopted a new name and moved into a new home. I always look forward to our corporate get-togethers as a way to regain our bearings. The 2011 Field Office Manager Seminar was no exception. Field Office Managers, Operations Assistants, Project Controllers, and Accounting Associates assembled with representatives of the Accounting, Human Resources, Legal, Risk Management, Project Controls, and Purchasing teams to discuss recent and upcoming changes. FOMs and the presenters had many constructive conversations concerning everyday issues in the field, such as tracking compliance expiration dates or improving communication about subcontractor schedules. Field Office Managers left with a few more tools in their belt, presenters left with additional tasks on their to-do list, and everyone who attended has a better sense of how their roles impact the overall company.

Field Office Managers Gather in Vermont

WHAT IS THE “PC WAY”?

August 17, 2011

Every company has a corporate “culture” — a set of values that builds bonds with their employees, customers, and partners. PC Construction’s culture is a combination of the values and traditions of the individuals who make up the company and those that were passed down from the Pizzagalli brothers. It is apparent that certain elements of our culture are critical to our continued success and are never to be compromised, namely dealing in an ethical and honest fashion. This, and more, is what came to be informally known as the “PC Way.” Continue Reading →

PC CONSTRUCTION HOSTS 2010 LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ACADEMY

December 15, 2010

Participants in PC Construction’s Leadership Development Program convened for the 2010 LDP Academy in hospitable Winston-Salem, North Carolina, just a few weeks ago. This was the first opportunity for most of the LDP participants to meet face-to-face, and the Academy provided a great opportunity for us to swap stories, share ideas, and build relationships.

The theme of this Academy was PC Construction’s values. Vice President Jay Fayette kicked things off Thursday by sharing his career story and how the alignment of his values to the company’s led him to success. Controller Maureen O’Brien followed with a presentation on the company’s financial statements and about how our performance on a construction project influences the company as a whole. Attendees appreciated the chance to see the company from the corporate perspective and asked great questions of both speakers. Afterwards, we had a workshop to discuss how our thinking preferences affect our decision-making and communication, and then practiced thinking in ways that don’t come as naturally to us. The day culminated with a tour of the R.A. Thomas WTP Improvements project, giving many of the participants their first opportunity to step onto one of our water/wastewater treatment projects. On Friday, we discussed the ESOP and how employee ownership impacts our values. Finally, the participants worked together to design improvements for the Leadership Development Program.

The Leadership Development Program equips the future leaders of our company with the skills and experiences necessary for success. The LDP Academy is an integral part of the program and offers participants a vision of the company as a whole and establishes networks for collaboration.

PC Construction Leadership Development Program Academy

Participants in PC Construction's Leadership Development Program gather for the 2010 LDP Academy

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM GRADUATE JOINS TEAM IN NORTH CAROLINA

December 6, 2010

In 2008 Ryan Levesque graduated from the University of Maine with a degree in Construction Management Technology. He had interned with PC Construction during his studies and then signed on to be a member of our team in the Leadership Development Program (LDP) after graduation.

Ryan spent the next few years learning the ropes and completing rotations in estimating, field, office engineering, and scheduling roles at several project sites in the southeast as well as in our regional office in Maine. We are proud to announce that Ryan has successfully completed the program requirements and has graduated, marking his promotion to Project Engineer. Ryan is now a PC Construction employee owner working on the R.A. Thomas WTP Improvements project in North Carolina.

What is the Leadership Development Program? Over 30 years ago, we developed this program to identify and coach future leaders from within the PC Construction team. This program targets energetic, highly motivated employees who strive for excellence and are ready to embrace the demanding expectations of our profession. Emerging leaders receive hands-on training through four vigorous rotations in field work, office engineering, scheduling, and estimating. Each rotation provides a real-world look at each facet of our operations, allowing employees to broaden their understanding of the business and develop a strong foundation for professional growth at PC Construction. This is just one of the ways we support the personal and professional development of our team at PC Construction.

Leadership Development Program Graduate Joins Team in North Carolina

Project Manager Brian Walker congratulates Ryan Levesque, a recent graduate of PC Construction's Leadership Development Program

MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT CAREERS IN CONSTRUCTION

April 30, 2010

PC Construction was invited to participate at the Winooski Middle School’s Career Carnival, an opportunity to reach out to young people and help them establish a vision beyond school and find purpose in their studies. So how do we get a group of energetic, active middle school students to learn about careers in construction in 15 minutes? Give them something to do.

We split them into small groups and gave each group a series of aerial photographs of PC Construction’s current project at Stowe Mountain Lodge in Vermont. Their job was to look for clues to arrange all of the photos in chronological order. The students were actively engaged, identifying clues such as the number of stories completed, the progress on the roof structure, the amount of equipment on site, and even the season of the year. As they searched for clues, we pointed out careers associated with the images: Do you see how the materials are close to the site but still stored out of the way? The superintendent is responsible for managing the site and must think ahead. See that orange fence around the crane? The safety engineer is responsible for keeping everyone safe and complying with all of the safety laws. Is it harder to work in the winter? The project manager has to make sure that there is enough money to pay for snow removal and heating.

The activity was a success. The students had fun and left with a better understanding of the wide range of career opportunities in construction, each with its own set of responsibilities, skills, and level of education.

Special thanks to PC Construction Staff Estimator Joe Daigneault, Project Manager Ev Howard, and Senior Project Engineer Kyle Nadeau for preparing and presenting the activity and to the teachers and staff at Winooski Middle School.

Middle School Students Learn about Construction Careers

Bob Correll, PC Construction Training and Development Manager, works with Winooski Middle School students during their Career Carnival