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Project Planning and Tracking: Why Big-Picture Thinking Matters from Day One

tradesmart23 on December 16, 2024

Project Planning and Tracking: Why Big-Picture Thinking Matters from Day One

Project Planning and Tracking: Why Big-Picture Thinking Matters from Day One

For too long, project planning and tracking have been regarded as the domain of managers—a skillset learned only after years of “on-the-job experience.” This approach may sound logical, but in practice, it leaves entry-level employees playing perpetual catch-up. The real question isn’t why managers need these skills, but rather, why they aren’t taught to everyone before stepping onto a job site.

Understanding how projects are planned, resources allocated, and progress tracked equips employees to be more prepared, reliable, and efficient from the start. It’s not just about the company running smoothly; it’s about building a workforce that is adaptable and ready to solve problems before they arise. The benefits are vast—for both the workers and the businesses that hire them.

At Trade Smart College, we’ve woven project planning and tracking into our curriculum for precisely this reason. Why wait for an employee to reach a management role to learn these crucial skills when the groundwork can be laid at the outset? This early preparation transforms students into assets from day one on the job, not just bodies filling an entry-level position.

Seeing the Whole Picture: A Key to Prepared and Reliable Employees

Imagine a new hire who is not only willing to work hard but also understands how their tasks fit into the larger project timeline. Instead of narrowly focusing on “what” they’re doing, they grasp the “why” behind it. This big-picture thinking fosters a prepared and reliable employee—someone who can adjust their workflow to meet deadlines without needing constant oversight.

As a result, businesses can spend less time managing delays and more time meeting client expectations. The ability to connect daily tasks to overarching goals doesn’t just boost productivity—it also builds confidence in young employees, who quickly see the impact of their contributions.

Adaptability and Efficiency: Skills for a Changing Workplace

Trade work has always had an unpredictable element, and this hasn’t been entirely solved with new technology. Materials still don’t arrive on time, client requirements change, and unforeseen challenges continue to arise. Workers who understand resource allocation and tracking are naturally more efficient and adaptable. They’re not flustered by sudden changes because they know how to reassess priorities and keep projects moving forward.

For companies, this means fewer bottlenecks and more solutions. For employees, it’s an opportunity to shine in environments where others might falter. The adaptability born from project planning knowledge is invaluable—not just for advancement but for long-term career resilience. Employers notice when an entry-level worker solves problems with the foresight of a seasoned pro.

Bridging the Gap Between Entry-Level and Management

Traditionally, the gap between entry-level workers and management roles is defined by knowledge. Managers are expected to oversee labor, track resources, and anticipate potential pitfalls, but entry-level employees are rarely given the same tools to understand these processes. This creates a dependency that slows progress on job sites and limits the growth of young professionals.

When employees are introduced to project planning early, that gap begins to narrow. They’re not just workers—they’re thinkers, capable of anticipating needs and understanding how their tasks contribute to the project’s success. For employers, this means cultivating a workforce that can step into leadership roles seamlessly. For employees, it’s a chance to build confidence and establish themselves as indispensable team members.

Career Longevity in the Trades

The trades aren’t static. With advancements in technology and shifts in workplace demands, career longevity depends on adaptability and a deep understanding of project management fundamentals. Workers who learn these skills early position themselves for long-term success, even as their industries evolve.

By understanding the nuances of labor, supplies, and resource tracking, employees become proactive rather than reactive. They recognize trends, anticipate shortages, and offer solutions that keep projects moving forward. This ability to think ahead not only sets them apart from their peers but also ensures they remain valuable contributors in an ever-changing job market.

The Bottom Line

Teaching project planning and tracking isn’t just about creating better workers—it’s about creating smarter, more efficient teams. Entry-level employees with a big-picture understanding bring value far beyond their immediate tasks. They’re prepared, reliable, efficient, and adaptable—qualities that every employer seeks but few are willing to cultivate.

At Trade Smart College, we’ve committed to bridging this gap, ensuring our graduates aren’t just hireable but indispensable. It’s time we stop reserving these skills for the upper echelons and start teaching them to the workforce that will define the future.

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The Importance of Workplace Assessments in the Skilled Trades

tradesmart23 on December 16, 2024

The Importance of Workplace Assessments in the Skilled Trades

The Importance of Workplace Assessments in the Skilled Trades

Workplace assessments are vital in the skilled trades for fostering productive, adaptive, and harmonious environments. In roles that require technical skill, adaptability, and interpersonal effectiveness, understanding one’s work preferences and potential growth areas is essential. Workplace assessments provide insights that can improve job satisfaction, productivity, and even long-term career success. This post examines four major aspects of workplace assessments in the skilled trades: measuring work preferences, assessing adaptability and emotional intelligence, understanding comfort and growth zones, and enhancing collaboration skills. At Trade Smart College, we use a series of workplace assessments to measure student characteristics, to help them understand their natural inclinations, and work on their areas for improvement. This is essential preparation for success on their internships.

Measuring People’s Work Preferences

Understanding individual work preferences is foundational to success in the skilled trades. Different tradespeople thrive under different conditions—some prefer hands-on, physically demanding tasks, while others might excel in more detail-oriented roles. Tools such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) or the Strong Interest Inventory offer insights into personal work preferences by identifying core personality traits and interests. For example, a tradesperson who scores high in practical, task-oriented traits may excel in fields like welding or machining, where precision and focus are required.

These assessments help both employers and employees make informed decisions about job placement, task allocation, and professional development. By aligning individual preferences with job roles, workplace assessments can increase both efficiency and job satisfaction. We’ve known this for a while, even though many companies do not take advantage of this insight. One of the classic studies on the topic, from almost 50 years ago, indicated that when workers’ preferences align with their roles, they are more likely to experience job fulfillment and less likely to experience burnout (Hackman & Oldham, 1976). In skilled trades, where physical and mental demands can be high, the right fit is especially crucial.

Assessing Your AQ (Adaptability Quotient) as Well as Your EQ

Adaptability Quotient (AQ) and Emotional Intelligence (EQ) are increasingly recognized as essential traits in the modern workplace, especially in skilled trades where industry demands can change rapidly. AQ measures one’s ability to adjust to new situations, overcome challenges, and learn from them. High AQ is valuable in trades like construction or manufacturing, where project specifications and client demands can shift frequently. Likewise, EQ, or the ability to understand and manage one’s emotions and those of others, is crucial for navigating workplace dynamics and customer interactions (Goleman, 1995).

Assessment tools like the AQai test for adaptability and the Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i) for emotional intelligence allow tradespeople to gauge their readiness for change and their interpersonal effectiveness. Both AQ and EQ are critical in ensuring that trades professionals can respond positively to shifts in their work environment, such as adopting new technologies or adhering to updated safety protocols. Studies have shown that employees with high AQ and EQ are better equipped to handle stress, work in teams, and embrace change (Harvard Business Review, 2021), which are valuable skills in dynamic trades environments.

Your Comfort Zone and Your Growth Zone

The concepts of comfort and growth zones are valuable frameworks in the skilled trades for promoting both personal and professional development. The comfort zone represents a space where individuals feel competent and at ease, which is important for maintaining efficiency and confidence in day-to-day tasks. However, the growth zone, where new skills are learned and challenging tasks are undertaken, is essential for long-term career advancement. Regular assessments can help identify which skills fall within each zone, enabling tradespeople to strategically push boundaries without overwhelming themselves.

Stepping into the growth zone can involve learning advanced skills, such as new welding techniques or mastery of emerging construction technologies. Research in organizational development suggests that structured challenges within the growth zone improve resilience, skill acquisition, and job satisfaction over time (Dweck, 2006). Workplace assessments can help trades professionals and their supervisors pinpoint areas for growth, ensuring that they remain engaged and continually develop their competencies in line with industry advancements.

Working with Others

Collaborative skills are essential in the skilled trades, where teamwork, coordination, and communication are often as important as technical skills. Many trades require individuals to work in teams on projects that demand high levels of precision, timing, and shared responsibility. Assessments that measure teamwork, communication, and conflict resolution skills, such as the Team Role Test (Belbin, 1981) or the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI), can be useful in understanding and improving collaborative dynamics.

Workplace assessments aimed at understanding team roles and interpersonal dynamics allow trade professionals to work more cohesively and efficiently. For instance, a team where members understand their complementary strengths and preferred communication styles is likely to face fewer misunderstandings and work together more effectively. In high-stakes environments like construction sites or manufacturing floors, these insights lead to fewer errors, better safety outcomes, and a more positive work culture, all of which are critical to both project success and employee satisfaction.

Conclusion: The Strategic Value of Workplace Assessments in the Skilled Trades

In conclusion, workplace assessments are invaluable tools in the skilled trades, providing insights that enable professionals to excel in both individual and team roles. By examining work preferences, measuring adaptability and emotional intelligence, understanding comfort and growth zones, and fostering collaborative skills, assessments contribute to safer, more satisfying, and more productive work environments. Our students at Trade Smart College learn about their individual abilities in each of these areas, to better prepare them for working in the real world during their internship. As the skilled trades continue to evolve with new technologies and methodologies, such assessments will remain vital in preparing tradespeople to adapt and thrive in an ever-changing industry.

References

Belbin, M. (1981). Management Teams, Why They Succeed or Fail. London: Heinemann.

Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. New York: Random House Publishing Group.

Hackman, J. R., & Oldham, G. R. (1976) Motivation through the Design of Work: Test of a Theory. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 16, 250-279.

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What is the Purpose of an Apprenticeship?

tradesmart23 on August 15, 2024

What is the Purpose of an Apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships are an educational model with a long history. They were initially conceived as a way to educate the whole person – to teach someone how to be a contributing member of the community as well as a skilled artisan. And it was critical that the apprentice be a good citizen first, before they were granted access to the technical skills of the trade. In recent years, we have forgotten to start with character when preparing people for apprenticeships and have focused instead on the specific techniques of a trade. The problem with this is that companies still require character and professionalism before they will sign an apprentice.

The European Origins of Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships emerged across Europe and other parts of the world around 500 years ago, in many different occupations or trades. And while there was a great deal of diversity in how apprenticeships were carried out, there were also some important similarities. Placing apprentices was an informal process where a teenager was sent to live with a master and her/his family to learn the trade. The craft knowledge was closely guarded by the master, and would only be given to the apprentice once they had proved themselves worthy. This control of knowledge was reinforced by the Guilds, or the groups of masters who regulated the trade. Interestingly, a ratio of apprentices to masters was common in virtually all trades during this time.

What was also common was the nature of the complaints, from apprentices and masters. Some common complaints from apprentices were that they were not progressing quickly enough in learning their trade, and that they had to do “irrelevant and menial” work. On the other hand, masters often griped that their apprentices were not committed enough to the trade, that they think they know more than they do, and that they lack the work ethic of the master’s generation. Ironically, 500 years later the complaints on both sides are the same.

Character, then Craft

Despite the complaints, the apprenticeship system that emerged out of Europe was an integrated model of education, with a specific purpose. In fact, it is this purpose that made the complaints more likely, and not just that older generations always complain about younger generations. Specifically, the purpose of an apprenticeship was to, “instill positive and productive cultural values”, and to look after the “moral welfare” of that person. The apprentice was first taught to be a good citizen and to have strong moral character before they were entrusted with the technical skills of the trade.

This order of teaching was a matter of individual self-preservation for the master, and the long-term sustainability of the trade. The blacksmith, the baker and other skilled tradespersons were pillars of the community, and none of them would pass on their skills to a lazy or unscrupulous apprentice. No master tradesperson could afford to be seen as the person who certified someone who ripped off the community. And if bakers or blacksmiths as a whole were regarded as scoundrels, the whole trade could be put in jeopardy. Preventing this was one of the main reasons that guilds were formed in the first place.

Character Gets Pushed Aside

As the number of trades and their technical sophistication increased after the Industrial Revolution, more and more technical knowledge was required in order for apprentices to become competent journeypersons. Technical knowledge was easier to incorporate into college curriculums than the character of the student, and the art of the trade. Over many years, this is what happened across North America as colleges taught technical skills and abstract concepts in their classrooms and workshops. In the process, technical knowledge came to be regarded as the only “essential” knowledge required in a trade.

The development of character and craft were sidelined in part because colleges could not teach the “feel” of the trade on an actual jobsite. They also lost interest in teaching “the basics” like character, preferring instead to leave that up to the family or school system. One consequence of this is that people who want to get into a trade think they only need some technical skills and they’re ready to go. But an apprenticeship is a much more holistic model of education than the teaching of a few technical skills. And craft and character are, and always have been, the most important component of a trade, even if they’re not taught in many campus classrooms and workshops.

Lessons from History

At Trade Smart College, we are committed to re-introducing character and craft into the trades we support. We start by teaching character skills, so our students are set up for success during their internship with a company. And during this internship, they will begin to learn some of their tradecraft in real-world situations.

We do it this way because it respects the traditional order of apprenticeship learning. And just as importantly, we do it this way because our companies have told us that they are always interested in employees who have shown they can be professional. And they simply aren’t interested in students who don’t have good character as a pre-requisite.

Conclusion

Historically, the apprenticeship pathway was clear – a master took on an apprentice and taught them how to be a good citizen before passing on the technical arts of the trade. We have lost our way a bit on this, and have come to see technical skill as the only qualification for becoming an apprentice. We need to correct this so that people who want to go into the trades actually have the skills and mindset that companies use to select candidates for apprenticeship.

Starts September 3rd

Want to learn more about Trade Smart and our upcoming Fall Term? You can now schedule an in-person meeting with Carrie, our Student Success Manager. Pick the date and time that works best for you and that’s it, you’re one step closer to your path in the Trades.

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Company Costs in Hiring Apprentices and Why it Matters

tradesmart23 on July 10, 2024

Company Costs in Hiring Apprentices and Why it Matters

An apprenticeship is a form of education. Knowledge and skill are transmitted to students who earn a credential, and in many trades the credential is required in order to work in that trade. What is different about an apprenticeship vs college or university is where the learning takes place. And this means that the costs of training are distributed differently as well. This has implications for how easy or difficult it is to get an apprenticeship, and for the kind of training a student should pursue in order to become an apprentice. And because it can be so costly to take on an apprentice, this is another reason why students should develop their professional skills first, not their technical skills.

A Degree or Diploma Versus an Apprenticeship

In a traditional post-secondary degree, a college employs staff and teachers and has a physical infrastructure with classrooms and labs, libraries and perhaps residences. Students pay tuition and fees to cover the costs of these services and for the opportunity to learn what is required to earn the credential.

When students graduate, they enter a job market and companies sort through the various candidates and choose the ones they want to hire. Companies do not pay anything towards the skills and knowledge that their new employees have acquired. In other words, students (and governments) pay the full freight for traditional degrees and diplomas while the companies that hire these graduates pay nothing.

In standard economic theory, there is some justification for this distribution of costs. Most of the skills and knowledge that students learn in a college program are general and transferable. This means they can be used at any organization, so in theory companies should pay as little as possible for skills that an employee can readily take with them to a competitor.

In an apprenticeship, the costs of education are distributed differently. This is something that isn’t often talked about or understood, but it has a big impact on the availability of apprenticeships and how they are awarded. In apprenticeship education, companies take on the lion’s share of the costs so they are selective in who they educate and how they provide training. There are three main costs that companies incur when they take on apprentices: Supervision and instruction; decreased productivity, and; mistakes and corrections. These costs are comparable to, and in many cases greater than, the wages an apprentice earns.

Supervision and Instruction

Apprentices must be supervised and taught by journeypersons or masters because this is the central dynamic of the whole model. In most cases, this is an intensive form of learning with a low apprentice-to-master ratio. In Ontario in most compulsory trades, the ratio is 1:1 – one master for every apprentice. This is a political choice rather than a necessity because there are many fields where one expert can teach several novices at once. For instance, aspiring doctors serve as interns where the ratio is often 10 interns to one doctor, so there is no magical limit on this ratio.

When a journeyperson is supervising and teaching an apprentice, they are taking time from their regular job to provide these benefits to the apprentice. The company pays the journeyperson for this service, but it is not work that can normally be charged to a customer. You will rarely see an invoice with a charge for, “master to apprentice instruction, 2 hours” on it. Journeypersons are often paid $50/hour or more so the real cost to the company is significant.

Decreased Productivity

Technically, the fact that companies cannot charge a customer for the instructional work a journeyperson performs is a loss of productivity. However, there is another element here, and that is the slower pace of work that occurs when an apprentice is involved. Showing apprentices how to perform a task takes time, and the apprentice is never as good at it as the journeyperson until they gain years of experience. Sometimes companies can charge a customer for this, but if they have bid for a job, they often have to leave out the extra hours required in order for their bid to be competitive.

It is true that having an apprentice around can also increase productivity at times. Having an extra pair of hands around to haul goods and tools, clean up, organize and pack the van and many other tasks is beneficial and may offset the extra time it takes for the apprentice to perform other work. It is important to remember though, that companies can simply hire a labourer to do some of these supposedly menial tasks, without taking on that person as an apprentice. Apprentices earn more and their wages go up every year, so there is still a cost to hiring an apprentice. But that extra cost is worth it for the company and the apprentice if both sides are committed to the relationship. The company trains someone who can take on more and more responsibility and the apprentice gets a proper understanding of how important the “menial” work is in any project.

Mistakes and Errors

Entry-level employees make mistakes in every profession. In some jobs, these errors have little to no cost. For instance, college teaching assistants and graduate students often make mistakes in marking papers and exams until they get more experience. But these mistakes have no real cost. Students complain and the grade gets changed and life goes on. But it isn’t that simple in the trades. When an apprentice doesn’t dig a trench to the proper specifications, an entire job can be held up while the mistake is corrected. This is a real cost when the job is delayed, or a sub-trade has to charge more because of the hold-up. Similarly, if an apprentice stages the pipe or lumber and it blocks the access route, delays, cancellations and extra charges ensue.

Neither of these scenarios is catastrophic, but that is by design. No employer in their right mind is going to allow an unproven apprentice to perform a project where the costs are high. If a toilet isn’t seated properly and it leaks, or a wiring mistake starts an electrical fire, the damage quickly escalates. Companies have to minimize these risks for their own survival, so they limit the potential damage they can do until they prove themselves capable of handling more technical tasks.

Conclusion

An apprenticeship is a form of learning that is distinct from a college diploma. The emphasis is on learning the technical skills of a trade. We often point to the fact that the purpose of an apprenticeship is to learn the technical skills of a trade, and that apprentices get paid, as the distinguishing features of the model. While these are indeed features, it is also important to understand that the costs of apprenticeships are also different. Companies take on the majority of the costs in an apprenticeship, so they have to be selective about who they will accept. In practice, this means that companies will only take a chance on people who have demonstrated their ability to be a professional. This means that would-be apprentices should take programs that focus on professionalism over trade-specific skills if they want a company to make this investment in them.

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