Industry
Opportunities
By Mike Justason, President, Pile Driving Contractors Association
At the halfway point in my term
as PDCA president, there are a
couple of messages I would like
to convey to our readership – fortunately,
the magazine has a page for me!
Firstly, as I transition into an educational
role in my own career, I think it
is appropriate for me to say a few words
about our PDCA educational programs.
Secondly, I want to inject some optimism
into the outlook for our industry.
And lastly, I wanted to send a message
of appreciation to the families who support
us.
As I reflect on the large offering of
PDCA educational programs, it occurs to
me that at some point in our lives education
transforms from an obligation into a
privilege. Most young employees would
jump at the chance to attend an educational
program related to their field, yet
the majority of those same individuals
probably couldn’t wait for their last day
of high school or college. I suppose the
prospect of studying relevant and timely
topics has more appeal than calculus, but
that might only be part of the explanation.
Of course an all-expenses-paid trip
is also part of the appeal, but I think there
is an important networking component to
post-graduate education that employers
often overlook. Educational programs,
like those run by PDCA, are great ways
for young engineers to meet and interact
with their industry peers in an environment
free from the time and money pressures
of a pile driving project. But the
greatest value in post-graduate industry
education is the potential for what I call
“accelerated work experience.” Rarely do
young engineers have the opportunity to
learn from peers from other companies.
Educational seminars in far-away cities
give them this chance. We can try to teach
engineers who are in their 20s but, like
so many young people, they listen (and
learn) better from people their own age.
This experience gives them exposure to
more variety, problems and solutions. If
you are an employer, take advantage of
the opportunities PDCA offers to help
educate your young employees. If you are
a young employee, ask to go.
In September 2012, the Canadian
Society for Civil Engineers published the
first ever “Infrastructure Report Card.”
As most people expected, there is a huge
amount of infrastructure (roads, bridges,
water distribution and wastewater collection
systems) identified as being in “poor”
condition. Likewise, for many years the
ASCE has been raising a red flag in
reference to the deteriorating state of
American infrastructure and the condition
in the United States is reportedly
even worse than it is in Canada. Much of
this troubled infrastructure rests on piles,
so as an industry we are well positioned
to benefit from the necessary government
spending required to upgrade/replace/
repair this crumbling infrastructure on
both sides of the border. This spending
won’t come all at once, and I realize that
not all of our member companies work in
Published for
P.O. Box 66208
Orange Park, FL 32065
Phone: 904-215-4771
Toll-free phone: 888-311-PDCA (7322)
Fax: 904-215-2977
Web: www.piledrivers.org
Email: info@piledrivers.org
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President Jeff Lester
Vice-President & Publisher Sean Davis
EDITORIAL
Editorial Director Jill Harris
Editorial Assistant Andrew Harris
ADVERTISING
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DESIGN & LAYOUT
Art Director Myles O’Reilly
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ACCOUNTING
Nikki Manalo
DISTRIBUTION
Jennifer Holmes
© 2014 Pile Driving Contractors Association.
All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not
be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without
the prior written consent of PDCA.
PileDriver magazine is published quarterly.
Visit the PDCA website at www.piledrivers.org for more information
or to download an advertising media kit.
Individual articles can be provided upon request to the
PDCA office. Requests should be submitted to PDCA via
email at info@piledrivers.org or by calling
888-311-PDCA (7322).
Please contact us by mail at:
P.O. Box 66208, Orange Park, FL 32065
Phone: 904-215-4771 | Fax: 904-215-2977
or by email at info@piledrivers.org
Statements of fact and opinion are the responsibility of
the authors alone and do not imply an opinion on the part
of the officers or members of the Pile Driving Contractors
Association. Materials may not be reproduced or translated
without written permission. Direct requests for reprint
permission should be made to the executive director of
the Pile Driving Contractors Association.
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president’s message
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE
PILE DRIVING CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION
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PILEDRIVER | 9
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