Posted on: Sunday, September 28, 2003

Federal rule helps minorities find jobs in roadwork

By Dan Gallagher
Associated Press

GLENNS FERRY, Idaho — More and more these days, the people digging into their lunch boxes on Idaho highway construction projects are not just white men.

There is a looming shortage of trained workers coming into the highway trade, and Idaho contractors are busy preparing women and minorities for the high-paying jobs building and repairing state roadways.

"There was a perception that there wasn't a place in the industry for women, or it's only for Anglos, and that's not true," said Michael Gifford, executive director of the Idaho Associated General Contractors.

Jonan Edwards of Blackfoot has found her place atop a 15-ton steel-wheeled roller on Interstate 84 near Glenns Ferry. She has worked as a bank teller, a desk clerk and a telephone operator for a satellite television provider. But some work as a construction flagman in the past hooked her and she is back on the road.

"I love the work I'm doing," she said. "One of the reasons I enjoy it is I just couldn't go back indoors and sit."

Edwards, 38, finished a training program in August through the Idaho Associated General Contractors Education Foundation. She has secured a job with Steelman-Duff Inc. of Clarkston, Wash., and is currently on the interstate reconstruction project.

By the time she finishes her apprenticeship in a few years, the single mother of three will be making $22 an hour.

"I worked construction a couple years ago, flagging," she said. "I really enjoyed it. A friend brought home some information about the training program."

Numbers increasing

About 5 percent of American highway workers are women and minorities. But their numbers are increasing because of laws on federally financed projects that require contractors to hire people in those groups.

There are no statistics on the makeup of the Idaho workforce now. But under Labor Department standards each project must have 7 percent women for each craft and 2 percent to 5 percent minorities for each craft, depending on location.

But in a state like Idaho, which is predominantly white, finding people in those groups can be a problem. The Federal Highway Administration has grants to help recruit women and minorities. This year, $300,000 in federal money went to the Idaho Transportation Department to help find and train women and minorities.

The state department went to the contractors foundation, which normally provides training services to its member companies.

Gifford said the average age of highway construction workers is rising and is now 48 years.

The numbers of those seasoned employees are dwindling, and they have to continually train new hires who do such work as laborers.

Training program

The trainees start with 160 hours of classroom work on construction mathematics, reading blueprints, road grades and other matters. They then are introduced to power tools and other equipment.

That is followed with 200 hours of on-the-job training as an intern assigned to a highway construction company. When the employees successfully complete the course work, they receive certificates from the National Center for Construction Education and Research.

Trainees receive $150 a week while in class, and $320 a week while working as an intern.

The foundation in 2000 started working with migrant councils, Indian tribes, high schools and state employment agencies to find women and minorities who might be interested in a highway construction career.

The 45 students who graduated from training last month included 15 Shoshone-Bannock tribal members, one black man, several Hispanics and a half-dozen white women, master trainer Kiwi Hunt said. Other students have come from Eastern Europe and Russia.

"I think the only drawback on road construction is you're on the road," said Rosie Ayers, a Steelman-Duff human resources person. "Most of the time you're living in campers or housing you arrange. If you have children, it's hard to leave them and go on the road."

Edwards said her oldest daughter is with her, attending Glenns Ferry schools. The other two are with her ex-husband.