Sharing Knowledge as the Unistrut Midwest Training Coordinator

Although I've been the Unistrut Midwest Training Coordinator for just under a year, I previously spent nearly ten years in the field with Unistrut Midwest. In that time, I saw the difference that a well-trained team can make when installing a client solution. Ensuring both that materials are handled properly and that the team is safe while doing the job starts with a dedication to training new hires and potential employees alike. 

New Hire Training and Ongoing Certifications 

With our new hires, I start by assessing which certifications they have. If they don't yet have their OSHA 10, we get them started on achieving that right away. For new installation team members, we work on their scissor lift certifications, and fab shop team members will get certified on saws and other equipment.  

Our training programs go beyond certifications, however. We work to make sure that each of our team members is knowledgeable and comfortable in their role. That requires hands-on experience, which they get in our training room. This is a dedicated training space that is built to emulate various real-life installation environments, with room for installing both Unistrut and Sikla products as well as operating heavy machinery. Here, we've seen new hires go from not knowing how to read a blueprint or even a tape measure to successfully building medical support systems. They learn the fundamentals behind a modular structure along with tool and material knowledge, assembly techniques, and in-house systems for tasks like cutting and staging. By completing this training in-house, we are confident that our team can hit the ground running on day one of a project.  

We also facilitate ongoing training for team members. From online courses to supervisor and management training, I help sign people up and work with them to get what they need to complete their courses. If a construction job requires a specific certification, I help team members enroll in and complete those courses as well.  

Student Training 

A recent focus at Unistrut Midwest has been passing along construction knowledge to the next generation. It can be intimidating for younger people to be "thrown to the wolves," so to speak. My goal with training students is to help them learn what they're getting into as they enter the construction field, so that they aren't scared to go out into the world.  

I work with students from Marshall High School, an alternative high school where students earn their diploma and achieve industry-recognized certifications that set them up for success post-graduation. These students work with us in our warehouse, familiarizing themselves with modular construction through hands-on experience. Our goal is to help them learn not only our material but general construction skills as well.  

Through this program, students are paid for their time at our warehouse through Easterseals, earn credits toward school courses, and gain applicable skills to a trade that they can pursue after graduation. We have also offered additional services like setting up mock interviews or allowing students to shadow our team members to help them decide if this is a job they are interested in. We've even hired a few Marshall graduates as full-time team members.  

In my experience, Unistrut Midwest's dedication to training is fairly unique in our industry. We are committed to ensuring that our team members and the next generation have the skills that they need to thrive.  

Are you interested in learning more about Unistrut Midwest's training program? Contact our team.