We believe the growth and the success that we have experienced since our start in 1993 is a result of the hard work, loyalty, and commitment to quality demonstrated by our team. While it is our goal to be the “Builder of Choice” for owners seeking our full range of general contracting services and to exceed their expectations on all our projects, we can’t achieve that distinction if we aren’t also an “Employer of Choice.”
“Employer of Choice” is a term used by recruiting firms to describe those companies that reach the highest standards in recognizing and rewarding their employees through career development and opportunities for advancement. We strive to maintain this designation by consistently bringing team members together to learn, communicating directly, and enjoying each other’s company with events promoting fellowship and fun. We also work hard to nurture a family-focused environment honoring life/work balance.
There has never been a time in our history when it has been harder to attract skilled workers. Our industry shares this challenge with many others, including manufacturing and health care. We know we must offer competitive pay and benefits, but our employees consider other intangibles to be at least as important. These include quality of life, a supportive, engaged, management team, and heartfelt acknowledgment of their valuable contributions to our success.
We are actively building a pipeline to attract more young people or those seeking a career change, hoping they will find construction to be a stable and well-paying career choice. While many of the Davie Construction Co. team hold four-year degrees in construction management from schools like Clemson, Virginia Tech, Western Carolina, Appalachian State, NC State, UNC-Chapel Hill, East Carolina, Winston-Salem State, Forsyth Tech, and Davie County Community College, there are many other paths to a construction career.
We are working with Davie High School to initiate an internship program this summer that will hopefully continue into the next school year. We have welcomed many college students as summer interns over the years and are meeting with Davidson County Community College to start discussions to establish a state-registered apprenticeship program. For the younger students, we’ve hosted Chamber of Commerce Manufacturing Day Tours. Our Executive Vice President of Pre-Construction, Brad Chapman, has made presentations to eighth-grade drafting classes, explaining how those skills are critical to a career in construction.
Since the US military is the nation’s largest construction employer, we encourage local veterans with construction skills will consider Davie Construction Co. as well. Women hold key management roles at Davie Construction Co. Our Controller, Greta Gardner, is President of the local Chapter #109 of the National Association of Women in Construction. The range of well-paying jobs in this industry makes it a smart career choice for everyone!