The M.O.R.E. Work Investment Fund is one of the best manpower generating tools our organization has.
Dr. Evan Blumer from Consul Energy poses for a photo with IR Dan DeCarlo and IVP-Great Lakes Lawrence McManamon.
The Boilermakers’ longest-running meeting of its kind, dating back to the 1980’s, met in Lexington, Kentucky, for the Ohio Valley Tripartite Aug. 8-10 with owners, contractors and guests. The event focused on manpower projections; and attendees heard updates on MOST Programs, The Boilermaker National Apprenticeship Program and the M.O.R.E. Work Investment Fund.
“The M.O.R.E. Work Investment Fund is one of the best manpower generating tools our organization has,” said IVP-Great Lakes Lawrence McManamon.
McManamon stressed that the M.O.R.E. Work Investment Fund has increased man-hours, which in return benefits the Boilermakers National Funds programs. It has given Boilermakers opportunities and put Boilermakers in places they’ve never been before, he said.
And based on manpower reports from many of the local lodges, numbers are moving in the right direction with work this fall increasing. These future estimates give business managers the opportunity to find work, fulfill their agreements to contractors and keep Boilermakers on the job.
MOST Programs Jay Brophy spoke to business managers and agents about recruiting and the benefits of the MOST recruiting website for Boilermakers. He also gave an update on the past few years on OHSA 10/30, rigging, project management, field leadership, Common Arc certification and drug testing.
BNAP Coordinator Mark Wertz followed with an update on the Boilermaker apprenticeship program and recruiting efforts. He advised locals and contractors to start at the state level and get involved in Skills USA competitions.
“We are at the national level, we’re recruiting members at this level—and it’s difficult, but before they go to national, they need to go to regional and state… that’s where we grab them,” he said.
Along with updates, attendees also heard from guest speaker Dr. Evan Blumer from Consul Energy, who spoke on the 21st Century Power Plant program, a multi-phase initiative that will lead to the development of the power plant of the future. This project uses an advanced pressurized, fluidized bed powerplant. Essentially, bringing a unique combustion system to the U.S. that can burn unusual things like coal waste.
“We are going to have the world’s first coal-based, carbon-negative powerplant that will take more C02 out of the atmosphere than it produces,” he said.
