Chris Forster first learned of the Southwest Carpenters when he was in college. Representatives would visit the campus to speak to students about the benefits of joining the Union. His first employer out of college was in fact, a signatory contractor.
Now as the Vice President of Operations for Largo Concrete Inc., he oversees a number of large-scale commercial projects including high rises, parking structures and public venues. Hiring highly skilled Carpenters is how Largo maintains their competitive edge. According to Chris, the perks of being a signatory contractor are tremendous. All signatory contractors get the opportunity to build close relationships with our business agents. This accessibility gives them the ability to call B.A.s at a moment’s notice to get the manpower needed to complete a job.
At Largo, they believe that having a skilled workforce is paramount to remaining a safety conscious contractor. They’ve even gone as far as partnering with Cal Poly to create the Cal Poly Carpenters Apprentice Program which allows college students to enter the workforce for a summer internship as a 1st Period Apprentice.
“The talent coming in through the program is impressive. The apprenticeship program and having the ability to sponsor new apprentices into the trade is extremely important to us.”