Building Infrastructure for Good Jobs: Creating Opportunities for People with Disabilities in the Construction Industry

The Investing in America (IIA) agenda is bringing in $2 trillion in federal investments to create good jobs in construction, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing. IIA will make sure all of America’s workers – including workers with disabilities – have equitable access to these good jobs. Led by the U.S. Department of Labor, the Good Jobs Initiative (GJI) is focused on improving job quality, empowering workers, and creating access to good jobs for all working people, including people with disabilities. The U.S. Department of Transportation recently released a report detailing their recommendations on how state and local transportation agencies can expand access to jobs and opportunity for underrepresented communities, including workers with disabilities.

In the previous GJI webinar, we heard from a variety of employers and people with disabilities who demonstrated how the Good Jobs Principles lead to meaningful employment. They shared their experiences, described available support, and highlighted contributions made by employees with disabilities in each of the businesses.

In this webinar, we looked to the construction industry to learn how inclusive hiring practices – including equitable workforce development pathways like pre-apprenticeship and Registered Apprenticeship programs, as well as labor-management partnerships – have benefited employees with disabilities and their employers.

This webinar: 

• Provided an overview of the Good Jobs Principles and IIA projects which can serve as a vehicle for matching people with disabilities with competitive integrated employment opportunities in construction and other infrastructure jobs.
• Highlighted examples of people with disabilities working in good jobs in the construction industry.
• Explored strategies that can assist employers in benefiting from employees with disabilities in their workforce, including employees with significant disabilities.
• Featured business leaders in construction discussing the contributions of people with disabilities in their workforce.

Featured Speakers and Individual Success Stories:

• Nicholas Morgan, President, Adaptive Construction Solutions, Houston, Texas
• Dr. Mardy Leathers, Executive Vice President, Adaptive Construction Solutions, Houston, Texas
• Jonathan Rodriguez, Apprentice, Adaptive Construction Solutions, Houston, Texas
• Louis Robert, Director of Operational Excellence, Primoris, Colorado
• Apprentice, Primoris
• Elaine Cooluris, Executive Director, Able-Disabled Advocacy (A-DA), San Diego, California
• Denise Yoggerst, Youth Program Specialist, A-DA, San Diego, California
• Jon Gosen, MC3 Program Lead, San Diego County Building & Construction Trades Council, San Diego, California
• Elyana Gomez, Certified Welder, plus Multi-Core Curriculum (MC3) Certification, El Cajon, California