Chris Adams is a recent graduate of Jonesville High School in Michigan. He began thinking about his future career early on - at first just focusing on how much money he could make, but by the end of middle school he began processing the logistics of long-term careers.
It was in the 8th grade that Chris and a friend built a table through an Industrial Arts class and then sold it for $300. He was hooked. That led to him joining the Construction Trades program in high school - a two-year program where schools from around the area offer Juniors and Seniors hands-on experience building a house.
“The whole thing was a learning curve,” he says. “I really enjoy learning the process and before I knew what I knew now, I thought it was crazy that people [knew] how to build a house from the ground up.”
Chris applied to Ritz-Craft on his own where his application came across the desk of Talent Manager and Safety Director, Jacki Clark. Clark has been responsible for getting their work-based learning program started again and fast-tracked Chris to get him into the factory. Four months after he began working at Ritz-Craft he was hired full-time after graduating from high school.
Clark works with schools to ensure each work-based learner is the right fit for their team.
“Students need to be capable of learning to make the opportunity worthwhile for everyone,” she says. “It’s not something everybody can [or wants to] come into.”
And Chris was the right fit. He’s also a bit of a unicorn. His own curiosity started him on his journey into the construction industry, and ultimately into offsite. But he says that Clark has been instrumental in his success.
“Jacki has looked out for me a lot and been on me about getting things done,” says Adams. “Without her help I doubt I’d be as successful in this environment as I am.”
Clark’s responsibilities at Ritz-Craft are important for building culture and finding the right employees - and it’s a full-time job.
“Culture is the toughest thing to change,” says Clark. She uses regular self-evaluations that require employees to be honest about how they see their own progress and work, but also allows them the opportunity to evaluate the leadership in the company.
“The most important part of this process is the follow-through,” she says. “We have a 48-hour period where we require a response to any negative feedback that is provided by an employee. This is our commitment to them for continuous improvement.”
Jacki and her team also look for innovative ways to market and advertise job opportunities at Ritz-Craft. A local radio DJ came to the factory, was exposed to some hands-on training, and now does job opening advertisements for Ritz-Craft with an authentic enthusiasm.
For Chris and his future in modular construction, the sky’s the limit.
“I plan on continuing to learn as much as I can and gain as much knowledge as I can,” he says. “I know it will make me a better worker and create better opportunities for me.”
His advice to young people is to give construction a try.
“There’s always going to be construction wherever you go,” he says. “Even if you don’t turn it into a career, the knowledge you gain could help you save a ton of money or allow you to help a friend. It could also be a wonderful side job. Jobs in modular construction provide you with the skills to build the right way.”
A portion of this was previously published on Offsite Builder.