Stories

KBR has a long-standing commitment to investing in our people and developing their skills in the workplace. KBR's Construction group has an industry-leading craft training and development program that is a testament to that commitment. Most recently, the team applied this training program at Chemours' manufacturing facility in Ingleside, Texas ("Project Earth"), where KBR is completing Engineering, Procurement and Construction work for the client.
 

Ryan Roberge, foremen, teaches Advanced Pipefitting for night shift trainees at 5:00 a.m.
Craft training is provided onsite at no charge to employees and is a win-win for KBR projects and the company's craft talent pool. It is designed to provide the skills training required by the project and employees get the added benefit of improving their skills and earning nationally recognized training credentials.

At Project Earth, the workforce development program offered 16 courses, over the duration of the project, including introductory construction skills, civil, electrical, pipe, rigging, and instrumentation. The courses were taught after hours by KBR front line supervisors who went above and beyond to instruct and mentor employees.  Each craft area had a basic and advanced track; this was to train lesser experienced helpers, but also to help experienced journeymen upgrade their skills.

"KBR provided a range of courses that include crafts KBR Construction self-performs," said Michael Day, Vice President Construction. "True to the KBR principle of valuing our people, we want to make sure that wherever KBR works, we give our craft employees the opportunity to complete an assignment with stronger skills and experience than when they arrived. Not only is this the right thing to do for employees, it enhances quality, safety, and productivity. Through craft training on our projects, KBR is a major contributor to the overall skilled labor supply in the Gulf Coast," Day continued.

Project Earth's team of craft instructors . From left to right: Jose Villareal, Project Manager Jeff Yancey, Jesse Mendieta, Jose Hernandez, Arthur Corona, Frank Jones, Robert Hiser, Patricia Guzman, Jeff McFadden, Will Smith, Chris Hunt, Lawnie Hyatt, and Jennifer Taylor.
Tyrell Haynes, a top helper in Electrical on Project Earth, is a great example of how KBR craft workforce development can make a real difference in an employee's career and advancement opportunities. Tyrell enrolled at Project Earth in Advanced Electrical but actually began taking classes in his craft on two previous project sites with KBR. Through persistence and hard work, he completed all four levels of NCCER Electrical curriculum, which includes over 50 knowledge and hands-on modules. Tyrell achieved a milestone that few people in craft training do, completing a four-year process in three years. "The training instructors at Project Earth in Ingleside taught with a passion and drive," said Haynes. "I am thankful to have had the experience with these people who were willing to take the time out of their schedule and educate me about my trade.

Graduates in Advanced Rigging are recognized by Project Manager Jeffrey Yancey (2nd from left) and Superintendent Frank Jones (3rd from left) at a mass safety meeting."The workforce development program at Project Earth was a huge success by all measures," said Jeff Yancey, Project Manager. "The enthusiasm and strong enrollment was thanks to the widespread support by superintendents and the management team."

Over the course of the project, more than half of the peak craft workforce on site enrolled in voluntary, unpaid craft training and made the personal commitment to improve their skill set. Of these, 23 laborers and helpers earned promotions directly because of training, and 85 experienced and qualified journeymen achieved full craft certification (NCCER Certified Plus). Nineteen craft supervisors volunteered to complete a 24-hour training program on site to become certified craft instructors, and a total of 24 supervisors served as instructors for craft training.