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Supervisory Training Program

One of the key principles of Building Advantage has always been continuing education in the union trades, and Ted Poull is seeing to it that we meet our goals.

Earlier this year, the Supervisory Training Program (STP) graduated its second class of carpenters from a series of 10 units aimed at teaching trades workers the skills necessary to move into supervisory roles within their field. The class has been very successful among the carpenters and currently has two full sessions for fall and winter.

Ted Poull, STP instructor, is very excited by the high level of interest in the program. “We are training our workers to become supervisors, superintendents and foremen,” noted Poull. “They need to understand that it's not just about the contractor or the journeyman, but about labor and management working together.”

Poull has over 38 years of experience in the construction trades, working as a laborer, carpenter, superintendent and project manager. The STP originated with the Associated General Contractors and Poull has since been teaching the principles to carpenters in Southeastern Wisconsin, but hopes to begin adding other trades to the classes in the near future.

The program is rigorous, but thorough – with each unit requiring 24 hours of face time with the instructor and testing to make sure that the principles are understood before moving on. The class units consist of the following:

  • Unit 1: Leadership and Motivation
  • Unit 2: Oral and Written Communication
  • Unit 3: Problem Solving and Decision Making
  • Unit 4: Contract Documents and Construction Law
  • Unit 5: Planning and Scheduling
  • Unit 6: Understanding and Managing Project Costs
  • Unit 7: Accident Prevention and Loss Control
  • Unit 8: Managing the Project – The Supervisor's Role
  • Unit 9: Productivity Improvement
  • Unit 10: General and Specialty Contractor Dynamics

In addition to the classroom learning, Poull also brings in multiple field experts to help make the points hit home. These experts include individuals like Mark Schmidt, General Superintendent of C.G. Schmidt, and Ken Kraemer, Executive Director of Building Advantage.

Poull believes that these experts help students to understand the need for collaboration in the trades. “Listening to different viewpoints from the construction industry helps the students understand the benefits of management and labor collaboration to get projects done,” he said.

New classes will begin in the spring, but they fill up fast. For more information, please contact Ted Poull at (262) 675-6788 or the Southeast Wisconsin Carpentry Training Center (262) 574-6994.

Back row (left to right): Ted Poull, Instructor; Jim Pierce, CG Schmidt; Harold Klug, Barton-Malow; Ed Ahnen, CG Schmidt; Eriks Zvers, Nostam Drywall; Dale Smith, CG Schmidt. Front row (left to right): Brent Johnson, CG Schmidt; John Bowers, CG Schmidt; James Luedtke, Service Drywall; Todd Cromey, Bechtel; Aaron Smith, CG Schmidt. Not pictured: Sue Rogers of Bechtel, Ken Oliver of Hunzinger, Martin Morales of KPH, Mark Potter of VJS, and Dave Finner of VJS.

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