The 3rd week in September brought a new holiday observance into our midst, one that touches the lives of every single person in America: Construction Appreciation Week.
Construction Appreciation Week 2018
September 17-21, 2018 was the inaugural Construction Appreciation Week, established and organized by I Build America. As an organization dedicated to showing the importance of construction in our modern life, we are proud to get involved in this initiative and foster a national conversation about the value of construction!
The impact of our work extends far beyond the job site. As members of the construction community, we are creating homes for families to grow up together, businesses to make our country’s economy thrive, and roads to connect us all together. Even if you’re not directly involved in the physical element of construction work, your life is being shaped by this growing industry.
Here at OE Construction, we love seeing how our completed projects affect our clients, partners, and the community at large. As our crews come in to prepare the foundation of a job site, we’re very aware that our work is also laying the foundation for an integral new piece of this flourishing region. It’s why we are laser-focused on every facet and detail of a project to ensure it’s done right, on time, and to budget.
We were thrilled to get involved online to share our story for Construction Appreciation Week and express how OE Construction is helping to build a better, safer environment for our employees.
A Family Approach to Business
Much like the military, construction is a dangerous job. We’re working with large, heavy machinery that requires knowledge, experience, and training to operate effectively. As a result of this reality and how we started our business, our company feels like a family. We have to trust and rely upon each other to stay on top of our game and live our philosophy: get the job done right the first time.
We believe in utilizing innovative technology to pave the way for both our company and the construction industry. We have partnered with tech and software companies like Trimble and AGTEK to utilize their inventive tools to make our job sites safer for our clients, employees, and the neighborhood in which we’re all working.
We continue to expand our use of cutting-edge technology, collaborate with associations, and increase our safety resources in order to improve our processes and effectiveness. We look forward to the day when more companies join in on this innovative approach, because we believe in a safe environment, first and foremost.
The Future of the Construction Industry
Construction Appreciation Week has been an opportunity for us to honor our employees, but it’s also a reminder to look towards the future. Our industry is ever-changing, shaped by new technologies and more dynamic systems. It is the next generation that we need to look to as the future of this industry.
We’re proud to partner with Associated General Contractors to provide free vocational training through Construction Careers Now. Programs like this provide opportunities to the youth of this country and those shifting their careers to get involved in our beloved industry. It’s why we donate our time and resources to local schools and colleges to educate students about the opportunities available in construction.
It is through these partnerships and collaborations that we have a chance to share our experiences, educate the public, and create awareness for our industry. Construction is often times misunderstood, which is why events like I Build America’s Construction Appreciation Week are great moments to share why we got into construction and what it means to us.
Why We Love Construction
Our founder, Chris Olson, along with our VP and CFO, Terri Olson, have set the tone for OE Construction. Chris started this company with a skid steer, a mini excavator, and a passion for working in the dirt. Terri joined this company with a vision of what it could become and a strong work ethic to make it happen. In just a little over a decade, OE Construction has transformed from a small player in the local industry to an innovative leader – always improving – with the same mission from day one.
Construction Appreciation Week has been a time for us to share our values and mission with the public and start a conversation about the impact of this industry on the entire country. Though it may occasionally go unnoticed, we’re ecstatic to see awareness has been growing. We have enjoyed seeing stories of the men and women who have recently begun their construction career, those who have made it their lifetime career, and those who’ve triumphed over challenges along the way.
The bottom line for many of these stories is that there’s plenty of work for all. As our nation grows, so does our industry, creating jobs along the way. As an industry, we’re all looking forward to more growth and new faces, but we’re also excited to see public awareness about the importance of our work growing.
While we loved having an entire week to engage in meaningful discussions about the construction industry, we’d love to make this a year-round affair. So, let’s continue the conversation!
OE Construction Corp. 