Robins & Morton Craft Mentorship Program Graduates First Class of Nine

Robins & Morton held a graduation ceremony this summer in celebration of the nine individuals that completed Robins & Morton’s Craft Mentorship Program, now formally recognized as the Rocky McMichen Field Leadership Program. The ceremony and lunch took place at one of Robins & Morton’s completed projects, the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Mountain Brook, Alabama, and ended with each member of the program’s inaugural class receiving a promotion to either a foreman or assistant superintendent position.

The Rocky McMichen Field Leadership Program is a 15-month course that begins with an application process and, once trainees are accepted, they participate in a detailed training program to transition them into a management position within the company.

“Robins & Morton is committed to offering our craft workers the best training programs to further their career and personal development. Like the rest of our industry, we are challenged with attracting and retaining qualified skilled trade and craft workers,” Recruiting Manager Josh Campbell said. “Robins & Morton recognizes the value of each and every person within our company. We also recognize the fact that many of our employees, at all levels, have the desire, potential and capacity to grow. In order to foster the growth of our craft employees and our company, we offer this program.”

Throughout the duration of the program, participants complete a variety of tasks to be eligible for graduation, such as five, three-day classroom training sessions, the completion of at least 40 on-the-job training tasks, 15 structured mentor-trainee experiences, six mentorship checkpoints and a final exam. Through the completion of these tasks, trainees gain managerial skills and learn more about construction project management outside of their specific trade.

Although the hope of the program is to offer craft workers a career growth track, long-term opportunities, and to fill the company’s most in-demand roles, the creation of the program is part of an ongoing effort to combat the increasing lack of skilled labor in the construction industry.

“The [Craft Mentorship] Program is a great opportunity for dedicated craft workers to grow within the company,” Trainee Erik Walls said. “This program gives qualified employees without college degrees the opportunity to earn a management position.”

See the journey to graduation here: https://vimeo.com/284636844.

Craft Mentorship Program Fact Sheet: https://robinsmorton.app.box.com/s/4gajd0oypqw8j8pqgi69wonh65mdxx7q/file/311228738783.