Charlotte Gurule and Scott LaPoint are responsible for developing training programs and instructing and facilitating training for more than 1,000 employee-owners across the country. We sat down with them to talk about the future of talent development in the construction industry and discuss what Sundt aims to accomplish with these one-of-a-kind programs.
Q: What are your backgrounds and how did you find yourself in talent development?
Gurule: I’ve been in talent for over 30 years now, and specifically in talent development in the construction industry for about 14 years. Before coming to Sundt, I had a job where I was working from home every day and I knew it wasn’t for me. I wanted something in person where I could work directly with people, so I was interviewing around for new opportunities to grow my career. A recruiter happened to contact me for a contract role where I would be helping implement software for a company that I later found out was Sundt. Within a couple weeks of working here, I was offered a full-time position and I’ve been here ever since.
LaPoint: Mine is a very different story than Charlotte’s. I have not been in talent for 30 years, but I have been in the industry for almost 28. I got my start as a carpenter in the early 90s, worked my way up to general foreman, to superintendent, to senior estimator to eventually senior project manager and division manager roles. It became apparent to me that the aspect of each of those roles that I really enjoyed most was mentoring and teaching people.
The turning point for me was when I had been transferred to Texas for a previous job. While we were there, we found out my son had diabetes and had to be hospitalized — we almost lost him. At the time, my wife was also working a full-time job, but we had no family in the area and really no support system. We decided as a family that we needed to move back to Phoenix, but that meant giving up my role as division manager at my previous company. I transferred to a business analyst role assisting with building an estimating software. That led to a position as a strategic development specialist, which was a craft training role, and I did that for about a year and a half before finding my way to Sundt.
Why is talent development important in the construction industry?
G: I’m currently pursuing my doctorate in organizational leadership with an emphasis on the construction industry, so I’ve been doing four years of research on this subject. Out of all the literature I’ve come across, there’s nothing readily available about talent development in the construction industry. There is a lot of literature on safety training and craft field training, but when it comes to the administrative side of things, it’s very sparse. What we do on the administrative side of talent development is so important, and luckily Sundt values that, but it’s not so commonly recognized as a priority in the industry. I’m excited to add to the body of knowledge as we build up our programs here at Sundt.
L: I absolutely agree with everything Charlotte said. You know, coming from the craft side of things, the skills we teach are ones I wish I’d had when I was newer in my career. I didn’t have anybody at the time teaching me communication and delegation skills, work-life integration and balance, those sorts of things. And because of that, my coworkers and I never felt like we were part of the culture or part of the team. The investment in training all of our people from craft to admin and all the way up the executive ladder is what not only makes each individual better but contributes to everyone feeling like we are part of the same team.
What are the main goals of Sundt’s talent development department?
G: So we have our overarching purpose statement which is “Sundt’s talent development team supports all employee-owners by offering innovative programs that support the organization’s ongoing commitment to employee skill and development.” However, our goals change and adapt depending on what the organization’s needs are. Right now, for example, our number one goal for the fiscal year 2023 was getting as many people as possible through our new manager effectiveness training program. We’ve been able to able to train 156 managers through that program.
L: We’re a support group, but we also want to be known as a partner and a resource. Our goal is to let people know we are here for them and their personal development goals. We want to help people grow whether it’s financially, educationally, etc.
Do you ever get opportunities to collaborate with the craft development side?
L: Definitely. I’m a National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) certified craft instructor as well, so I collaborate with them often. Right now, Charlotte is doing that through Continuous Performance Development (CPD) training, and I’m focused on financial wellness, and both of us are teaching mental wellness. And the bridge goes both ways, the craft talent development professionals assist us with our needs on the admin side as well.
What are your personal favorite talent development programs or endeavors and why?
G: For me, it was our Skill, Grit, Purpose series. It was so important in my eyes because that was the first time that Sundt leadership had come to us and said, “Hey, we really trust you to develop this entire program for us.” It was also the first opportunity that Scott and I had to work together to develop something on power skills and soft skills. Looking ahead, we want to revamp it and continue to improve upon the existing structure.
L: I second what Charlotte said, but another favorite of mine has been manager effectiveness training. That was the most recent example of that trust from leadership, and it demonstrated that they believed in our ability to train at all levels of the company, including senior managers and executive level employee-owners. It showed us that those at the highest level of the organization are fully on board with everything we do here in talent development.