Geneva Rock and H2H Make Hiring Veterans A Snap
A Great Source of Talent
Recently, in Utah, a subcommittee of State Senators and Representatives convened to hear testimony on how to meet the needs of a shrinking workforce. Krist McFarland, Human Resources Director for Geneva Rock, was there and had plenty to say. Mr. McFarland pointed to the aging population and the great numbers of baby boomers retiring from the workforce. He spoke of the various studies that show fewer and fewer people are considering construction as a viable option for careers. Then he spoke about the importance of apprenticeship training. Helmets to Hardhats representatives gave similar testimony. Now the two are partnering to provide apprenticeship opportunities to military service members through the Helmets to Hardhats website and in real time.
Geneva Rock is ready and willing to hire military candidates who bring reliability to the workforce. Mr. McFarland says military candidates are, "people who know how to work, get there on time, get along with others, and have far greater training than someone off the street." Geneva Rock is an affirmative action employer with a plan to hire veterans but it is not tax benefits or government rules that drive them. Says McFarland, "If we get a tax benefit for hiring veterans that's icing on the cake but that's not why we do it." For Geneva Rock, a deeper moral and ethical force inspires their outreach to military candidates. As a company, Geneva Rock wants to help and support those who fought, and were involved in protecting and defending our country. They are eager to give veterans an opportunity and support them in rebuilding their lives as civilians.
Through their partnership with Helmets to Hardhats, Geneva Rock sends recruiters directly to Hill Air Force Base. There, they meet with a small group of service members who plan to discharge in the upcoming months. They are able to share the options and opportunities that Geneva Rock can provide. Mr. McFarland is especially excited about the expert IT support that Helmets to Hardhats is providing as Geneva Rock creates their profile on the Helmets to Hardhats website. (www.helmetstohardhats.org) On the website, active duty and veteran military members around the world, who would like to consider living in the west and Utah, can view Geneva Rock postings.
Because of their singular focus on veterans, National Guard and Reservists, Helmets to Hardhats is often more effective then other government labor agencies. Says Mr. McFarland, "Helmets to Hardhats does a wonderful job as they are focused only on Vets."
The largest subsidiary of the Clyde Companies, Geneva Rock was founded in 1954 and is based in Orem, Utah. It is one of the leading employers in Utah and is the largest supplier of ready-mix concrete in the state of Utah. Geneva rock is based in Orem with ready mix concrete plants and gravel operations all along the Wasatch Front to serve the construction community. The firm also provides excavation and paving. Geneva Rock has a proud tradition of being a locally owned company with strong ties to the communities in which it operates.
Geneva Rock is one of a group of employers and different union business representatives who are part of the Joint Apprenticeship Committee in Utah. The committee ensures that apprentices are being trained and treated right. Geneva Rock provides financial assistance and land to the Operator Engineers Local # 3. Apprentices who go through the program with Local # 3 have hands-on training with equipment, take written tests on subjects such as blueprint reading, and complete significant safety training. Mr. McFarland says, "Trained employees stay longer, the retention is higher, the loyalty greater, the production is higher and the risk of injury and accidents diminishes significantly."
Mr. McFarland thinks the time is right for finding and training good people. His department sees training as a legitimate cost of doing business and one to which Geneva Rock is committed. They like to find excellent people, and get them into apprenticeship training programs. Right now, he's looking for a few good military men and women. "This goes beyond an equal opportunity or an affirmative action type of an effort. This effort is really more motivated by us being able to help service men and women who sacrificed for our country, for us. It's an effort to have and find good quality people. You'd be hard pressed to find a higher caliber people of recruit then those coming out of the military."
