How 84 Lumber is building the leaders of tomorrow
84 Lumber is renowned for its building materials and supplies, but the company is building up a remarkable amount of career enrichment, too.
Through programs like Ladder of Opportunity, which gives 84 Lumber associates opportunities to rise in the ranks and pursue various career paths, the company demonstrates its commitment to employee growth, goodwill and advancement.
Below, you can read more about the company's approach toward employee apprenticeship and manager training, featuring insights from 84 Lumber's Paul Yater, chief information officer; Joe Jena, director of talent acquisition; and Sue Kasko, senior director of training.
Q: Can you share some background on your Ladders of Opportunity program?
Yater: 84 Lumber’s Ladder of Opportunity has always been a part of our 84 culture. We have worked to refine and continually enhance it. We have also worked on the visuals and messaging to more effectively tell our candidates and associates the 84 story and opportunity that exists within our company.
Kasko: The Manager Trainee position is the entry point. After completing the initial training program, associates have the opportunity to explore multiple career paths within 84 Lumber, including Store Management, Operations, Outside Sales, Install, and roles within Team Headquarters (THQ) departments.
The training and experience that Manager Trainees get in their first year is a strong foundation for many career options. In that way, the career ladder has evolved into more of a career lattice – or scaffolding – that allows a person to pursue a variety of opportunities.
Q: How many people have participated in the apprenticeship program so far, and what does manager training look like in practice?
Yater: Over 96 percent of our store leadership team started their careers with 84 Lumber as a Manager Trainee. In fact, our Chief Operating Officer, Frank Cicero, started as a Manager Trainee in 1984.
84 Lumber is truly a company of opportunity. In the last three years, we have promoted more than 550 Manager Trainees to other roles in the Ladder of Opportunity. If you are willing to bet on yourself, work hard and learn, you can make your own career. We consistently say that you do not need to know anything about this industry – we will teach you, and we walk that talk. We have a world class training program to teach associates the skills they need to be successful in this industry that consists of 84 Lumber’s formal classroom training: Lumber Camp and Sales Camp. We also have online training via our Learning Management System – Early Development curriculum. This is paired with on-the-job training next to our general managers and co-managers in each location who are knowledgeable and experts in their fields. We have created a culture of paying forward the knowledge and skills that you were taught. Everyone has a story about that person in their 84 Lumber career who helped them and influenced them, and we all feel a responsibility to do the same for the next generation of 84 leaders.
Q: Any standout success stories you’d like to share?
Yater: We have many examples of our associates starting out as Manager Trainees and quickly rising through the ranks. Our newest Western New York area manager, James Barry, is one such success story. He started as a Manager Trainee in 2018 at our Elma, New York, store.
By August 2019, Barry had been promoted to co-manager, and in 2021, he was again promoted, this time to store manager. He was promoted to Area Manager just this past May. Barry’s success is not only a testament to his hard work and dedication, but also an example of 84 Lumber’s willingness to teach and assist those willing to do the work.
Q: Does 84 Lumber have specific outreach efforts to attract women, minorities and veterans?
Yater: 84 Lumber is one of the strongest advocates for women in the construction industry – the company is also a certified national women's business enterprise owned by Maggie Hardy. Hardy stepped into the role in 1992. Holding true to the core family values her father founded the company upon, Hardy grew the company over the years and today it is the nation’s largest privately held supplier of building materials, manufactured components, and industry-leading services for single and multifamily residences and commercial buildings.
Prior to 2016, women accounted for nine out of every 100 employees in the construction workforce. Since then, the female employment share has climbed nearly every year and sits at 11.1 percent as of 2022. While most women in construction (35 percent) work in administrative or office roles (per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), there are opportunities throughout the industry and ample room for growth with companies like 84 Lumber. As the construction industry grapples with a growing workforce shortage, recruiting more women emerges as one obvious solution. To attract and retain female talent, companies must ensure equal opportunities and recognition for women in the workplace.
Each year, 84 Lumber recognizes Women in Construction Week during the month of March. The company features female associates in the company and highlights the work they do and the paths they took before reaching 84 Lumber.
Jena: The company has hosted EmployHER events in the past and currently has one scheduled in Kansas City for the Women’s Employment Network. We also participate in the Partner Up! program to provide grants for people in need. We also attend five job fairs per year at military bases.
Yater: The company proudly supports U.S. veterans and calls on companies to recognize the importance of hiring our veterans. Roughly 200,000 military members retire or separate from the armed services every year, according to the Department of Labor. Veterans returning to the workforce after military service face a variety of challenges and, oftentimes, finding and vying for civilian positions can be challenging for transitioning veterans.
A recent survey of 1,000 U.S. military veterans revealed there are an average of three different major challenges on this journey. Finding a job topped the list, with a third (33 percent) of respondents calling it their biggest hurdle. Other challenges included parting ways with their friends in the military and finding a purposeful career (28 percent, each). 84 Lumber recognizes Military Appreciation Month with its yearly Operation Appreciation initiative, maintaining a longstanding tradition with company-wide efforts throughout the month of May. The company also takes part in National Hire a Veteran Day, held July 25, by hosting a recruitment call center where those interested in a career with 84 Lumber can call and speak with a live recruiter.
Q: What trends are you seeing in your apprenticeship outreach and programs right now, and what do you foresee moving ahead?
Jena: With a competitive job market, individuals that typically have gone into a more specialized field are more open to trying other opportunities that might be a mix of their desired field but also include other skill sets. These individuals will have endless growth opportunities at 84 Lumber.
Q: What’s your pitch for folks who are on the fence about their career path or perhaps hesitant to enter the “trades” or the LBM industry?
Yater: There is a real opportunity to build a fulfilling and lucrative career in building materials and the trades. It is an opportunity that more should explore. 84 Lumber is a great way to learn about the construction industry. Come in, and learn everything you can.
