Learning from 2020 & Looking to 2021
Aaron Butler
President
Arizona State Building & Construction Trades Counci
Since I became president of AZBTC in January, I have been proud of the ways that our unions have overcome the challenges of being essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the unique challenges of working through a pandemic, union workers have continued to provide on-time and on-budget results for our contractors, and build and maintain medical facilities, schools, and manufacturing facilities.
I want to give special recognition to the instructors and staff who work at our AZBTC-affiliated training centers. Our commitment to developing and continuously training highly skilled, professional tradesmen and tradeswomen has stayed strong and that is part of the reason our unions have been able to overcome obstacles this year. While COVID-19 forced apprenticeship and training programs to temporarily shut down in the spring, it provided opportunities for our instructors to reimagine their programs and incorporate new technologies, build partnerships, and adapt curriculum. Because safety training is one of the cornerstones of our programs, instructors had the knowledge and experience they needed to adjust training experiences to facilitate social distancing and PPE protocols, and provide solutions to accommodate various situations. All of this has been done without compromising our programs’ quality. Training centers are reopening and the instructors and staff members have a renewed sense of purpose and energy. Their dedication provides a perfect example of why union-apprenticeship programs are the gold standard for workforce development and training.
Now, as we look to 2021, let’s remember that everything we’ve accomplished this year is reinforcing our reputation for quality work and professionalism. And even though many business sectors have seen slowdowns or shutdowns, 2021 looks promising for AZBTC members and our contractors as our economy recovers and companies continue to invest in multi-million dollar construction projects. We will continue to improve measures to keep our Apprentices and Journeymen safe and healthy on the job. We will strengthen relationships with labor-friendly elected officials to promote policies at the local, state and national level that support union members and their families. We will support our friends and neighbors, and our communities, by giving our time and talents where needed.
Wishing everyone a safe and healthy holiday season, and a prosperous new year!