Construction Leadership Academy

In partnership with the Fox Valley Technical College’s Business & Industry Services, this 18-hour six-week program offers an in-depth learning experience for new and emerging first-time leaders engaged in the construction trades who seek to build or enhance the knowledge, skills and abilities required for effective supervision.

Organized around themes of managing self, their team, the work and their processes and systems, the program offers both new and potential first-time supervisors the opportunity to learn and engage with other professionals and world-class facilitators.

January 30 – March 6, 2025

7:30 – 10:30 a.m.

D. J. Bordini Center | FVTC

Information Sessions

Have questions? Want to learn more? Sign up for one of our short information sessions and speak with a program representative and the program instructor. All sessions are virtual via Zoom. Please register by clicking the link below. Once registered, you will receive the Zoom link and calendar invitation.

Session 1

November 11 | 4:30 – 5 p.m.

Register Here

Session 2

December 11 | 8 – 8:30 a.m.

Register Here

Session 3

January 9 | 12 – 12:30 p.m.

Register Here


Overview

  • Training specific to first time or new supervisors engaged in the construction trades
  • An integrated curriculum — no classes can be taken separately
  • Content is delivered in 3 hour segments, total of 18 hours
  • Training is delivered in person
  • Training allows the learner to apply the training immediately
  • Training includes accountability to the content and participant experience through ongoing feedback loop
  • Cohort based learning consisting of up to 20 participants per program
  • BENEFIT: Earns one associate degree credit with potential to earn advanced standing in the 3-credit Supervision course.
  • One 3-hour Management Support Session prior to cohort start
  • Each cohort will be limited to no more than 20 total participants

Desired Outcomes

  • Understand the skills, behaviors, and attitudes needed for effective leadership in a commercial construction environment
  • Provide tools for connecting and engaging teams and individual team members
  • Understand the psychology of employee engagement and satisfaction
  • Learn skills for analyzing employee developmental needs and customize an approach for improving employee performance
  • Learn communication skills needed to coach, provide feedback, initiate change, and manage conflict
  • Develop skills in creating high performing teams

Investment

Current NEWCA Investor

$750

per participant

Non-Alliance Investors

$1,500

per participant

*Investment includes assessments, materials, catering, learning management system access and all facilitation.

Management Support Session

This session is for Managers of Leadership Skills Participants

Training Content:

  • Confirm training needs and obstacles of supervisors
  • Provide information to meet the Five Expectations of Managers
  • Know the content
  • Set goals for the training
  • Coach the participants throughout the training
  • Lead by example
  • Reinforce the participants’ use of new skills
  • Identify commitments from management

Session Dates and Topics

Supervision Fundamentals: Assessing strengths & areas for growth in leadership role

  • Introductions and set goals for course
  • Identify characteristics of effective leaders
  • Brainstorm strategies to avoid pitfalls of new supervisors
  • Apply trust builders to your leadership of team
  • Develop action plan

Leading Different Personalities: Applying the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

  • Follow-up on action plan
  • Choose your Myers-Briggs personality type
  • Identify how to motivate & lead different types
  • Identify your strengths and potential struggles as a leader
  • Develop an action plan

Communicating Effectively: Identifying strategies to communicate clearly

  • Follow-up on action plan
  • Define effective communication
  • Identify meaning of non-verbals
  • Practice active listening techniques
  • Adjusting communication with the appropriate method
  • Develop action plan

Giving & Receiving Constructive (Negative) Feedback: Building the communication skills to handle correction effectively

  • Follow-up on action plan
  • Identify steps in giving feedback
  • Practice giving feedback
  • Identify benefits for receiving feedback appropriately
  • Choose correct method of communication for situation
  • Develop action plan

Leadership: Assessing your preferred influencing style

  • Pre-Work: 360° Leadership Assessments
  • Define Leadership
  • Assess Power Bases of Influencing
  • Assess Leadership Style from Situational Leadership Develop action plan

Motivating Others: Understanding the needs of others to meet their goals while meeting the needs of the organization

  • Pre-Work: Motivation Assessments
  • Follow up on action plan
  • Define motivation & morale
  • Compare motivational theories with participant’s assessments
  • Identify obstacles to praise and recognition
  • Identify strategies for dealing with difficult behaviors. Develop action plan

Celebrate your cohort’s completion of the program with food and networking. This will be a chance for you to share your experience and what you have learned with your fellow participants, supervisors and colleagues.

Instructor

Judy Ruhl

Judy is a trainer/consultant with the Management Development Department of FVTC and has a proven track record in helping leaders, regardless of industry, meet their full potential. Her enthusiastic style keeps the training session moving while focusing on skill building. Judy’s experience and flexibility ensure that each participant gains specific action items to get results. Particular areas of expertise include Leadership (especially people skills), Train-the-Trainer, Myers-Briggs, Time Management, Generational Collaboration, and Team Building.

While Judy specializes in training front-line supervisors and staff, she also works with all levels of leadership in organizations. She serves a variety of industries, including service, construction, manufacturing, and law enforcement. Judy has been a production shift supervisor, a technical representative, and a research chemist. For a global perspective, she’s delivered and developed class exercises as part of a faculty exchange with a university in Russia. She has a B.S. in chemical engineering and a master’s degree in business administration.

About the Fox Valley Technical College’s Business & Industry Services:

Fox Valley Technical College logoThe Business and Industry Services division of Fox Valley Technical College partners with employers to grow the skills of your employees with cost-effective customized training programs, seminars and workshops. Choose from a multitude of disciplines ranging from weld training to strategic planning, leadership training and more. Training can be delivered as required; on-site, classroom, virtual or hybrid options to fit the demands of your operations.