Building a Larger Pipeline

The bulletin board outside the Civil Engineering Technology office at Springfield Technical Community College tells the story - or at least a good part of it.

It is nearly covered with letters from construction companies - the letterheads reveal some of the best-known firms in the region - all

looking for help. The specific needs vary, but most operations are looking for individuals versed in what is known as construction management - the art and science of coordinating the various aspects of a specific project, from scheduling to tracking equipment rentals.

There is a consistent shortage of such individuals, said Joe Marois, president of South Hadley-based Marois Construction - one of the firms now posting job openings on that bulletin board - and for a number of reasons. Chief among them is a discernable shift in opinion about construction as a career, he said, adding that more young men and women are looking instead at the technology and health care sectors, among others.