At McCarthy, Learning is at the Core of Everything We Do
As one of McCarthy’s six Core Values, learning is as much a part of our jobs as the work we are hired to do. To us, one simply can’t exist without the other. As we continue on our quest to become the Best Builder in America, we know that high levels of quality, safety and client satisfaction are intertwined and a direct result of great programs, strong leadership and continuing education.
That’s why McCarthy developed the Build U® Training and Development Program. It’s a concept that provides McCarthy with the structure, alignment, centralization and flexibility needed to personalize training to meet each employee owner’s needs. This comprehensive program is built on the philosophy that each employee has a plan for his or her personal development, and McCarthy is committed to helping them achieve it through a diverse array of blended learning and development opportunities. Unique to the construction industry and even among best-in-class training programs outside of construction, McCarthy Build U® is truly a personalized approach to employee development.
Content
At McCarthy, we believe that if our employees are going to take time out of their day to participate in a training activity, we want to make sure that the content is worthwhile. For example, working closely with field leadership, we developed Curriculum Maps for all field positions. These maps help identify all the training an employee in a certain position would need to successfully perform a role. It’s a road map to success for each new employee.
At McCarthy there are a number of topics that our training covers, including building skills, management and leadership, policies and procedures, compliance, and technology, including BIM (Building Information Modeling). By offering a wide variety of training content, we can ensure that our employees remain on the cutting edge of industry trends, techniques and skills.
Systems
To get that great content delivered as quickly and easily as possible, McCarthy utilizes an industry-leading, centralized Learning Management System (LMS) that houses, tracks, and facilitates learning for each employee owner. Easily accessible to all employees from the home page of the McCarthy intranet, the LMS enables employees to assess training needs, then better manage learning activities and keep a record of knowledge gained.
A Blended Approach
In order to deliver training to employees in the best way possible, McCarthy takes an approach to learning that is designed to address many different needs and learning styles.
- Online
McCarthy has made a significant investment in the area of online training by developing courses that focus on McCarthy specific knowledge. We also partner with third party vendors to provide online content from some of the premiere thought leaders. This content is available via the LMS on-demand 24/7 to make it accessible anywhere, anytime.
- Virtual Instructor Led Training
We understand the demands of the job don’t always allow time to participate in a classroom so we also offer virtual “live” training. This training gives employees an opportunity to participate from their jobsite, office or other location, which maximizes our training efficiency, expertise from leaders across the company, and cost effectiveness. This is just another technique McCarthy uses to support individual development.
- In the Classroom
Classroom learning is used for in-depth learning, which provides an opportunity for our employees to learn from each other as well as key subject matter experts from around the company. Classroom sessions enable employees to work in small groups on case studies, project assignments, real-world simulations and other exercises that enhance the learning experience and knowledge retention. We also provide tools for learners that help them take what they’ve learned and apply it back on the job.
- On the Job
We recognize that learning occurs every day, all day and we strongly encourage on-the-job training, both formal and informal, because it’s a great way to immediately put recently learned skills into action.
People
The construction industry and the training needs of McCarthy owners change often, so we have invested in resources that allow our programs to be as dynamic as those needs. McCarthy offers a centralized Training Department providing strategic oversight and support for McCarthy Build U®. This experienced group is integrated with the Human Resources Department and includes a training director, training manager, learning specialist, and a director of employee performance and development.
An oversight committee, consisting of vice presidents of operations who represent each of McCarthy’s geographic divisions, assists in providing direction. In addition, as a community based builder, McCarthy believes it is critical to have on-the-ground professionals focused on training in each of our divisional offices. It is the responsibility of our division training staff to manage and coordinate the training efforts of our operational and divisional employees across the country.
Our Ultimate Goal
As true builders, we must always be seeking new and better ways to do our jobs – on our projects, in our offices, and through our relationships. It’s a companywide focus on providing timely and relevant training and education offerings in order to fully support this effort. As an employee-owned company, our success is derived directly from the combined success of our owner-employees. The tools are all in place. Together, we can make a difference.
