My husband and I often reminisce about our many mentors—formal and informal—who have shaped our careers by being a sounding board, educating us on the nuances of the industry, and guiding us to the right people to answer our questions.  I am forever grateful to the wisdom I have gained from these people. As King Solomon wrote, “The mind of a discerning person gains knowledge, while the ears of wise people seek out knowledge.” Proverbs: 18:15  This holds true throughout life, but especially in the construction industry, which is ever-evolving, perpetually collaborative, and full of risk.  I wrote about one of my mentors after he passed away a few years ago. His legacy still lives in my life and career to this day, as well as with others who still remember him.

At FLCC, we encourage and coach construction management professionals with their careers, yet no one can do this better than those of you on the front lines every day.  Prompted by many requests over the years, and most recently by Jose Faria at FIU, we are formalizing a mentorship program for the Construction Industry.  This program will launch on Monday, March 22, 2021. The program will only be a success if we have enough mentors to pair with the many requests for mentorship from both young and old.

Let’s answer a few questions you may have as you decide whether to sign up for the program.

To qualify to be a mentor or mentee, you must be currently employed in the industry, or have been employed consecutively in the industry for a minimum of two years, and within the last year if you would like to be a mentee.  If you are a student with little or no work experience, see our internship program and start there.

1. Mentors and mentees will agree to not use this program to recruit either party to work at their respective places of business unless, either party is formally laid off from their employer.
2. Mentors will be paired based upon several criteria:
   – Teleconference vs in person requests
   – Non-competing companies
   – Type of mentoring request (e.g. Communication, Preconstruction, Field Management, Accounting, Software, Encouragement, etc.)
   – Discipline within the industry – Development, General Contracting, Sub-contracting, etc.
3. The commitment is six months long, with a minimum weekly participation of one hour-long face-to-face teleconference or in-person meeting.
4. Mentors agree to adhere to professional ethics.
5. Both mentors and mentees agree to complete a quick survey after each meeting.

We often hear the question, “Does he know what he doesn’t know?”

This refers to whether one has a humble confidence which allows one to be coached or trained. Oftentimes executives expect their employees to help and mentor one another, yet within the corporate environment other factors affect whether this can be done effectively.  These might be political in nature or oftentimes just time constraints.  Without a formal structure, the results will be minimal.

Would you give four hours per month?  There is no better way to leave your legacy than by giving back to others your knowledge and expertise.

Thank you for your help to not only make this program a success, but help the industry as a whole.

Sincerely,

Suzanne Breistol