Engineer graduate Alicia Crass, Kiewit, receives welding instruction from L-83 apprentice Steve Ryken.
Local 83 hosts 60 engineer, construction management graduates
RECENT COLLEGE GRADUATES with degrees in engineering or construction management traveled to Local 83 (Kansas City, Mo.) last summer to become “a Boilermaker for a day.”
The graduates are employees of Kiewit, which co-sponsored the event with L-83 for the second year in a row. Business Agent Joe Lewandowski said the program seeks to foster communication, trust, and respect between those who design and manage field construction projects and those who build and maintain them.
Third-year apprentices acted as trainers for the engineers. The event kicked off with a welcome and safety orientation. Participants then split into two groups, with half taking part in a group rigging exercise and half going into the training center welding booths for one-on-one instruction with an apprentice. After two hours, the groups switched activities. The rigging exercise emphasized communication and teamwork to accomplish a task.
All 60 of the field engineers showed their appreciation of L -83’s role in the event by signing a thank-you card that was presented to dispatcher Bud Owens.
“This has been a big hit in learning and earning trust,” said Jeff Fischer, Kiewit learning manager. “These events foster good relationships early between management and labor. Good relationships are required to successfully deliver cleaner and greener power projects. As a bonus, our future leaders really love learning to weld.”
Kiewit is a signatory Boilermaker contractor that has employed L-83 members to install air quality control systems for coal-fired power plants at LaCygne, Kan., and Sioux City, Iowa.
“Kiewit has worked with us to test and certify a large number of welders for these two projects,” Lewandowski said. “We appreciate their commitment, especially the effort of Craig Wright with Kiewit Quality Control.”
