We are here and we are on our way!
Over the past 24 months, I’ve had the opportunity to travel the country and see firsthand the incredible work being done by local and regional organizations to support young people entering the construction trades. It’s been inspiring to see both young individuals and career changers find training, opportunity, and meaningful work in our industry.
In many ways, I feel like I’ve been on a pilgrimage—traveling from city to city, seeking out people and resources that can help us strengthen and connect our collective efforts. Of course, not everyone I’ve met has been open to collaboration, but the vast majority have. Most, at the very least, have contributed one of the “Three C’s”—Curriculum, Content, or Contacts—that we believe are crucial to expanding our work nationally.
This week, though, I’ve found myself reflecting on the journey so far. What sparked this moment of reflection? Why the seemingly contradictory title of this blog, “We Are Here and We Are On Our Way”?
How can we already be here—and still be on the way?
The answer came to me on my flight home from Oakland this weekend.
Hispanic construction professionals are already a powerful, growing force in the industry. The number of Hispanic engineers, project managers, and contractors I met in Northern California this week truly opened my eyes.
We are already here.
And yet, we are still on our way—building the networks, the infrastructure, and the leadership needed to fully realize our potential.
In my conversations with these young professionals, it was clear: they aspire to greater challenges and responsibilities. They’re hungry for growth—and they are actively seeking organizations, mentors, and a path forward.
The truth is, NHCA—or any organization working to elevate Hispanics in construction—isn’t the leader of this movement.
The young professionals already conquering the first set of challenges are.
Our role is to support them, amplify them, and help clear the path ahead.
On the economic side, the story is much the same: we are here, and we are on our way.
It’s time to leverage the buying power and the presence that Hispanics already have in the construction industry.
It’s more than a little ironic that as NHCA and similar organizations work to prepare and deliver on our mission, many corporate partners are “waiting for us to get there”—as if we aren’t already standing inside, framing and flooring the very structures they operate within.
Knock, knock.
This week, I sat down for lunch with one of our incoming board members in NorCal. We talked about our ongoing conversations with national suppliers and equipment companies regarding sponsorships. One of the big-box suppliers doesn’t seem convinced that our members can “move the needle.”
I asked this contractor what his annual spend was with just his primary supplier. His answer? Nearly $2 million a year.
Now, that may seem like a drop in the bucket for the largest national contractors. But think about the combined purchasing power of Hispanic construction workers and contractors—big and small—across the country.
Now, add to that the increasing capacity, quality, and influence being built by NHCA and like-minded organizations across the nation.
It’s time to flip the paradigm.