By David Siegel, BATC Executive Director
The two greatest challenges facing our industry today are over-burdensome regulations and a labor shortage. BATC is working hard to address both.
On the regulatory front, BATC has a comprehensive legislative agenda to rein in regulations that is part of our Home Ownership Initiative with the Minnesota Association of REALTORS®. You can read a great deal more about that initiative on BATC’s blog. In addition to regulatory reform through the legislature, BATC has brought on board Nick Erickson as our full-time Regulatory Affairs Manager. Nick has already begun meeting with key agencies to share our concerns. He will oversee our efforts to mitigate regulatory impact at the local, regional and state level. You’ll be reading about Nick’s efforts in the blog, the weekly Voice e-newsletter, the Digest and our social media properties.
Equally as important, BATC is spearheading marketing efforts to show Minnesotans the tremendous career path in our industry and make the construction industry a field of choice for our youth. Called Project Build Minnesota, you’ll be hearing a great deal more about this initiative in the coming months. We are working with some 15 construction associations to create a movement that makes working in the building industry exciting and enticing. We’re going to need your help to succeed.
As we launch Project Build Minnesota, we need every member to use the brand on their website and in their social media. We’ll be supplying the materials – we just need your cooperation to extend our reach. Imagine the collective power of thousands of members, each with their own substantial networks, promoting Project Build Minnesota on their social media properties and their websites. We also need contributions toward our effort – we have a three-year plan and a budget and any assistance our members can provide is extremely helpful. Our partner associations are seeking funds as well.
Not only are we marketing careers in construction, BATC’s Education and Workforce Development Committee is forming a Speakers Bureau to reach into schools. If you are willing to take a PowerPoint into a high school class or career fair and speak to today’s youth, please let me know (david@batc.org). Help us to build this movement and sign on to Project Build Minnesota today.
