At B/ACE, we’re focused on connecting qualified candidates with construction industry employment opportunities in their communities. And although we have had lots of success to celebrate, we still have more work to do. We spoke with Lori Parker, COO of American Steel Fabricators, to get her thoughts on how we can best change the narrative and create more opportunities in the trades for people of color. Parker has over 25 years of experience in construction and has seen the industry go through several cultural shifts. But she admits that more needs to be done to create an environment that is welcoming of people regardless of race and gender.
According to Parker, current construction industry hiring practices are perpetuating a continuous cycle of unemployment, something which disproportionately affects people of color.
“A job comes into the neighborhood and gives the union money to put into apprenticeship programs,” she says. “And when the job leaves, the [workers] have to go on unemployment because there’s no work for them,” she says.
Instead, Parker suggests contractors invest more time and resources in developing worker’s skills and getting them certified training. This effort leaves workers in a better position to be hired for future projects. “It may not always work out like a fairy tale, but at least we’re not just churning and burning. There is more of an incentive for people to work,” she says.
Parker adds that programs should be implemented to give contractors a stipend to pay their apprentices. She argues that if contractors can invest in training and developing their workers, they will be more likely to retain them. She believes the industry needs to overhaul its recruitment strategy if it wants to produce different results. “We need to work together to change the narrative and not just write grants and put programs together,” she says. “We have to change how these programs work.”
Parker says that while she’ll never completely understand the adversity African-Americans face in the construction industry, she’s experienced her own set of challenges as a woman in a field dominated by white men. She’s had to demand the respect of her male counterparts in the industry who often try to take advantage of her and belittle her. “That’s why I started swearing so much, to get these guys’ attention,” she laughs.
Parker says her experiences have motivated her to continue working to change the way things are done. She believes in nurturing her employees and motivating them to do their best and says she will remain committed to helping as many people as possible. “I want to make a community of strong individuals who are united together,” she says. “Everybody needs a break. Someone took a chance on me.”