ACCESS, the Association for Construction Careers, Education, and Support Services, honored McCarthy today with their 2009 Corporation of the Year award at the 3rd annual Black History Month Forum held at Forest Park Community College in St. Louis.
ACCESS and McCarthy have a long history. ACCESS was the evolution of an idea germinated by past Midwest Division President Karl Kloster and Washington University Director of Supplier Diversity Programs Sandra Marks more than 10 years ago aimed at exposing middle school minority students to construction as a career.
The resulting program called Minority Youth in Construction (MYIC) program was a voluntary summer school session providing math and computer education, mentoring, life-skills training and exposure to high-paying career options in the construction field with some hands-on training.
In 2004, Kloster and Marks once again put their heads together and led the creation of a one-stop information and resource shop for St. Louis minorities interested in entering the construction industry. Named ACCESS the organization now supports existing construction industry diversity development programs and builds partnerships between existing initiatives aimed at workforce and W/M/DBE development to maximize the use of resources.
The students selected to participate in the MYIC program primarily are from the public school systems in the Normandy, Wellston and University City area. The six-week program is divided into four levels (in accordance with the year of high school they will be attending). After completion of each summer’s program, participants from each level will advance to the next level the following summer.
About McCarthy
Founded in 1864, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest privately held construction firms. The company provides general contracting, construction management, program management and design/build services for healthcare, education, parking, entertainment, retail, laboratory, biotechnical, microelectronic, and industrial facilities; office buildings; tenant interiors; mixed-use; and bridges and highways. McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned. More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com.
