Since the Construction Industry Training Council's (CITC) inception in 1985, 31 Rafn employees have graduated from CITC’s programs. “We put people in the first class at CITC,” said Shawn Rhode, Rafn President and COO and CITC board member. “Gregg George graduated then and has been with us more than 30 years.” Gregg George is now a senior superintendent and remembers his start in construction well. “I started working with a demolition contractor that was a subcontractor for Rafn,” said George. “Rafn offered me a carpentry job and I took it. Then they offered me the opportunity to attend CITC. I’d been a carpenter for quite a while so at first it seemed like a step backward. Then I started learning a lot, growing in my job and was promoted to superintendent before I even graduated". George continues “At CITC I learned all facets of construction from beginning to end. It would have taken me years to get this much experience on the job alone.”
“Our graduates do much more than carpentry,” said Rhode. “They move up to superintendents, foremen and project engineers which builds strength in the company. The knowledge and continuity of our people provides a lot of capacity for the company to grow over the years.”
Tony Beaupre changed from a career in construction bonding to working for Rafn when a friend suggested that he give construction a try. “I started with Rafn as a carpenter/laborer but wanted to be a superintendent,” said Beaupre. “Rafn said I needed training at CITC to do that so I went through the program, became a project engineer, and now will retire soon as a superintendent.”
Rafn brings as much value to CITC as our training brings to them. It’s a symbiotic relationship – they train employees here and their employees in turn come back to CITC as instructors, volunteers, and board members. Rafn supports those volunteer efforts and we are both stronger for their steadfast commitment.
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