Page 6 - DCA - Construction Excellence Awards 2018

THE WORK IS HERE,
BUT INDUSTRY NEEDS MORE MANPOWER Q&A WITH DANIEL J. HAHN, SR., DCA PRESIDENT 2018
By Michael Bradley
Special to Delaware Business Times
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that
Dan Hahn took over as the Delaware Contractors Association’s president
in April. After all, his father, John, served in the same capacity in the late 1990s. “He was a man built for others, and he served them and shared his talents with the contracting industry,” he says. The native Delawarean,
who graduated from St. Mark’s High School, is the owner and president of Wilmington-based Furness Electric
Co. Inc. and took some time to discuss the DCA and its efforts to promote building and construction throughout the state.
DELAWARE BUSINESS TIMES: YOU HAVE SAID 2018
IS A BIG YEAR FOR THE INDUSTRY. WHAT MAKES IT
SO IMPORTANT?
DAN HAHN: One of the biggest issues we are facing is the lack of manpower in all trades. We thought it would hit us five years from now, but it came on us very quickly. We cannot get enough skilled tradesperson to do the work that is out there. We are trying to get the political heads in the state to get behind workforce development, not just in the Vo-Tech schools but also in regular high schools and even elementary schools, so that we can get younger kids to take different approaches and reach their parents. We want to get rid of the stigmas that only people who can’t get into college go into trades.
DBT: WHY DO YOU THINK THE NUMBERS ARE SO LOW?
DH: Everybody wants their kids to do better than they did. They think the only answer to that is college. Maybe they don’t understand what is out there. If kids don’t go to a vo-tech school, the trade world may be foreign. If I didn’t have a father who was in the electrical business, I wouldn’t have known. I’ve seen a lot of men and women with college degrees who can’t find jobs in their field. At 30 or 35 years old, they are trying to get an apprenticeship.
DBT: CAN THEY GET ONE?
DH: Yes. There are two different paths they can follow. They can get with a contractor who will sponsor them through the state-run program or they can join a local union. There are no barriers. They just have to show up, go through their training and have to want to work. It’s not always easy, but it’s rewarding. You can touch and see it at the end of the day, and they have no debt at the completion of the apprentice program.
DBT: IS THE DCA FOCUSING ON BEING CREATIVE IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT?
DH: We have to be creative. We were a big part of getting a diesel mechanics program in Glasgow High School. We are thinking outside the box. We show people numbers about the salaries that can be made. Parents need facts and numbers.
DBT: WHAT KINDS OF PROJECTS ARE UNDERWAY IN THE STATE?
DH: There is more work than we can see the end of. With the new port expansion [in Wilmington] coming up, the planning being done for
the Delaware City Refinery, Christiana Hospital expanding, A.I. duPont Hospital always expanding and the banking industry always offering work, there is plenty. There are always companies that come into the state looking to build.
DBT: CAN YOU DISCUSS THE DCA’S COMMITMENT TO BOTH UNION AND NON-UNION WORKERS?
DH: That’s what the DCA is built on. It’s tough for some people to understand. No matter what side you are on, the DCA is there for Delaware contractors. When we have conversations with people in the government, that’s what we focus on. It’s our mission.
DBT: HOW RECEPTIVE ARE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS?
DH: They are very receptive. The DCA is the voice of the Delaware construction industry, and one of the biggest reasons is that we are levelheaded. We are not right or left, union or non-union. Our goal is to help Delaware’s contractors.
DBT: WITH THE TROUBLE FINDING DELAWARE WORKERS, HAVE THERE BEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE STATE COMING IN?
DH: We need them. They may send some money home, but they will also be staying here, eating here and spending money here. End
users want to get the job done, and if they are able to say, “We went to Delaware and got the job done,” that reflects well on us.
DBT: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HOLD THE SAME POSITION YOUR FATHER DID?
DH: I’ve been in the business since my mother used to tell my father to get me out of the house because I was driving her crazy. I used to clean [Furness] when I was in high school for extra money. My line to Furness and the construction industry was my father. He opened my eyes to what the industry meant and how we wanted to support it. He had a talent and an ability to reach people. I respect and admire the fact that he wanted to serve others. I take those things with me every day and am proud to follow in his footsteps.
4 | DELAWARE CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION 2018