Bill Caldwell, Waldrop Mechanical Services on the Carolinas Construction Industry

GroundBreak Carolinas is pleased to share thoughts and insights from key leaders in the construction industry from North Carolina and South Carolina. Bill Caldwell, Chairman & CEO of Waldrop Mechanical Services, shares his thoughts on the construction industry:

What are your thoughts on the Carolinas Construction economy in 2019?
The Carolinas’ construction economy for 2019 looks strong and robust. The ongoing threat of tariffs could play into the equation for the new year. Even if tariffs do a become a component of the business landscape, I am hopeful that the major impact of these policy changes will not be a major factor on our industry and clients’ projects until 2020 and beyond. The increasing cost of skilled labor will likely continue and drive project labor costs to all time highs.

The manufacturing and infrastructure sectors will continue to provide the most opportunities for contractors in our two states. Needs continue to be prevalent in the educational sector due to aging and poorly maintained properties. Respective school districts, colleges, and universities will be pressed to finalize financing transactions that will allow not only new construction on their campuses; but also, improve the conditions of older campus buildings in need of renovation.

What are your company’s biggest challenges?
Recruiting and employing tomorrow’s workforce is without a doubt our biggest challenge. We must make changes internally to differentiate ourselves by providing well defined construction career plans, improved training opportunities, competitive compensation, and improved benefits to everyone we talk with. Our biggest competitor for skilled labor in our state is the manufacturing sector. We simply must change if we are to compete with the many firms in manufacturing that are looking for same types of skills from future employees. It is no longer business as usual in our quest to obtain talent for the future of our company.

What are your hiring plans for 2019?
We have numerous needs for the “right people with the right technical/soft skills and good attitudes” in our pipe, welding, plumbing, sheet metal, and service ranks. If you know someone with these unique skills and characteristics seeking a career and not just a job, we would love to talk with them.

What change would you like to see in construction in the Carolinas?
I would like to see the major specialty contractors in the region rally together around the need to provide adequate training opportunities for those new to or considering a career in construction. Whether such training is performed through an apprenticeship program or well-defined task oriented training, programs like these are essential for the continuity of those contractors who self perform their respective scopes of work. Many electrical specialty contractors are already doing this in both NC and SC. If we could do the same with firms who provide carpentry, concrete, masonry, roofing, HVAC, plumbing, sheetmetal fabrication, fire protection, etc. we would make tremendous strides to prepare tomorrow’s workforce for the challenges they will face.

Also, I would like to see the same group of specialty contractors change their ways and begin to reach out to the primary, secondary, and technical schools to introduce construction careers to not only today’s youth; but also, the school administrators, counselors, teachers, and most importantly the parents of the kids expressing an interest in our industry. We must change the concept so that everyone will realize that careers in construction are important for the very future of our society and our long term prosperity.

For more information on Waldrop Mechanical Services or to contact Bill Caldwell, please visit Waldrop Mechanical Services.