Explore the Agenda
8:00 am What It Takes to Make LEAP A Reality
8:10 am Chair’s Opening Remarks
Driving Change Through Culture & Connection
8:20 am Panel Discussion: Embedding Culture Across The People Lifecyle
- How can we ensure that the employee experience and company culture is multi-faceted and embedded consistently across HR, L&D, and Talent functions?
- Strategies for understanding employee sentiment – how can we continue to be supportive even when our people aren’t openly sharing?
- Bridging the gap between leadership vision and the day-to-day reality of frontline teams
- Turning insights into meaningful action that drives engagement and measurable change
Empower Teams with Mental Health Support
9:10 am Interactive Case Study with Clayco
Join Clayco for an interactive case study session with Q&A discussion throughout focused on these key themes:
- Addressing the mental health challenges unique to the construction industry, including high stress levels and the affects on our front-line workforce
- Strategies for promoting both mental and physical wellbeing across the workforce
- Tackling the stigma around mental health – fostering a culture where it's safe to speak up
- Encouraging meaningful use of available resources by building trust and accessibility into your support programs
Crafting Talent Strategy for Business Impact
9:40 am Discover: Talent Strategy That Delivers Business Results
- How can we charter a clear strategic vision for where the business will be in years to come and identify the ways to be part of those executive-level conversations that shape the future through talent?
- How Limbach has built the foundation of their talent approach – setting up the HR function, achieving early wins, and positioning leaders across the business to take an active role in developing and owning the talent strategy
- Hear how you can deliver measurable impact through a talent strategy that’s closely aligned with talent acquisition, culture, and development to exceed revenue targets by prioritizing people and business outcomes equally
10:00 am Develop: What More Can We Learn from the Leaders Driving Change by Aligning Talent & Business Strategy?
Question & Answer Session Facilitated by the Focus Day Chair
- How can we as HR Leaders make the steps to align our talent strategy to business outcomes?
- What metrics should we track to measure the business impact of our talent strategy?
- What are some practical steps to build out a talent strategy that incorporates all elements of culture, development, and talent acquisition?
10:20 am Action: How Can We Take the Steps to Develop an Impactful Talent Strategy That Delivers for the Business?
Output Focused Action Session Facilitated by the Chair
- What’s the best way to engage and gain buy-in from senior leaders who may be sceptical about investing in talent initiatives?
- How do you prioritize talent programs when there are competing business needs and limited capacity?
- How can we ensure consistent communication and collaboration across HR, Talent Acquisition, and L&D teams?
10:40 am Speed Networking Break
Track A - Attract & Onboard
Engaging Tomorrow’s Workforce Today
11:30 am Discover: Attracting the Next Generation: Building the Future Workforce of Construction
Explore why fewer young people are entering the construction industry and what can be done to
shift perceptions and spark interest in the field
- Learn how to engage high school students and early-career talent through outreach, education, and hands-on exposure to real career opportunities in construction
- Discover how internal programs and clear development pathways can help attract, grow, and retain the next generation of workers for long-term success
11:50 am Develop: What More Can We Learn from the Leaders Engaging Students in Construction Career Opportunities?
Question & Answer Session Facilitated by the Chair
- How can we engage and partner with schools and colleges to spark interest in a career in construction?
- What more can we do internally to create internship programs that help educate a new generation?
12:10 pm Action: What More Can We Be Doing to Promote a Career in Construction?
Output Focused Action Session Facilitated by the Chair
- What are the biggest perception challenges about a career in construction
- How do we currently measure success in attracting and retaining young talent, and how can we improve?
- What role can our current employees play in mentoring or promoting careers to the next generation?
Track - B - Develop & Engage
Strategic Succession to Secure Future Leaders
11:30 am Discover: Strategic Succession Planning for Future Leadership
- How can we engage senior leaders in defining the future of leadership and identifying key successor traits?
- Utilizing an assessment matric to evaluate and track the skillsets of potential new leadership year on year and tailor development accordingly
- Learn how Adolfson & Peterson Construction have created executive level succession planning to drive targeted development and give board-level visibility into leadership pipeline and gaps
11:50 am Discover: Building Better Leaders Succession Planning to Improve Retention
- How can we ensure great leadership legacy and development in construction through our succession planning?
- Exploring how gaps in leadership development and coaching contribute to employee turnover
- Learn practical approaches to equip employees as they move up in the organization and new managers with the skills and support they need to lead effectively and retain their teams
12:10 pm Develop: What Levers Can We Pull to Ensure We Are Setting Our Future Leaders Up for Success?
Question & Answer Session Facilitated by the Chair
- How can we identify and define the key skill sets for our future leaders?
- What more can we learn from the leaders tailoring leadership development for each individual employee?
12:30 pm Action: How Can We Strategically Plan for Potential New Leadership & Ensure Targeted Development Plans Are in Place?
Output Focused Action Session Facilitated by the Chair
- How can we ensure we have tailored development plans in place for every stage of our employees careers up to and including leadership?
- How can we have clearer visibility so we can plan for our next leaders and give them the skills they need?
12:40 pm Networking Lunch
Track A - Attract & Onboard
Unlocking Future Talent with Strategic Early Outreach
1:40 pm Discover: Hoffman Construction’s Early Outreach Builds Future Talent
- Discover how Hoffman Construction is tackling the talent pipeline challenge head-on by investing in early outreach
- Explore how their full-time Outreach Specialist engages students from elementary school through college to spark interest in construction careers
- Learn how strategic school partnerships and career path storytelling are helping to shift perceptions and build a stronger, more informed future workforce
2:00 pm Develop: What More Can We Learn from the Leaders Focused on Early Outreach To Promote a Career in Construction?
Question & Answer Session Facilitated by the Chair
- How can we measure the impact of their early outreach efforts on student interest and career choices?
- What challenges have you faced in building and maintaining school partnerships, and how have you overcome them?
- What resources or strategies are key to getting started with this outreach model?
2:20 pm Action: How Can We Focus On Outreach to a New Generation to Fill Future Talent Pipelines?
Output Focused Action Session Facilitated by the Chair
- How can we tailor early outreach programs to effectively engage students in our industry or sector?
- What local schools or community groups could we embark on partnerships with to build a sustainable talent pipeline?
- How might storytelling about career paths help shift perceptions and attract diverse talent to our organization?
Track B - Develop & Engage
Building Stronger Teams By Growing Talent from Within
1:40 pm Fireside Chat: Developing Talent from Within: Building Skills & Careers in Construction
- Emphasizing talent mobility in construction: how to grow the skills your workforce needs from within, rather than relying on external hires
- Practical approaches to upskilling new or entry-level workers who may not meet traditional experience benchmarks
- Encouraging site and project leaders to adopt a development-first mindset when it comes to talent
- Building structured career pathways with clear role expectations, required competencies, and training plans to support retention and progression
2:00 pm Develop: What More Can We Do to Leverage Talent Mobility & Further Grow the Skills Our People?
Question & Answer Session Facilitated by the Chair
- What are some effective strategies for gaining buy-in from site leaders to prioritize workforce development?
- How can we create career pathways that balance immediate project needs with long-term employee growth?
- What metrics or indicators best measure the success of upskilling programs in construction?
2:00 pm Action: How Can We Upskill & Implement Clear Training to Support Progression & Internal Mobility?
Output Focused Action Session Facilitated by the Chair
- How can we shift our leadership mindset to prioritize internal talent development over external hiring?
- What upskilling opportunities can we create to support entry-level workers who lack traditional experience?
- How might we design clear career pathways that motivate employees and improve retention in our organization?
2:20 pm Refreshment Break
Unlocking Career Growth Through Industry Partnerships
3:10 pm Discover: Creating Career Pathways Through Industry Collaboration
- Learn how MYCON General Contractors partnered with Texas A&M and the U.S. Department of Labor to create a workforce development program aimed at attracting next-generation and diverse talent into the construction industry
- Discover how the program reduces financial barriers by offering industry certificates, college credit, and paid internships to students and adults exploring new career paths
- Explore the strategy for building long-term employment pipelines through hands-on training, mentorship, and direct pathways into the construction workforce
3:30 pm Develop: What More Can We Learn from the Leaders Collaborating on Workforce Development To Attract Top Talent?
Question & Answer Session Facilitated by the Focus Day Chair
- What are some key factors to consider when building partnerships for workforce development?
- How can financial barriers be effectively reduced to encourage more diverse participation in training programs?
- What role does mentorship play in supporting career growth within the construction industry?
3:50 pm Action: How Can We Work with External Partners To Provide Further Development Opportunities for Employees?
Output Focused Action Session Facilitated by the Chair
- How can we build meaningful partnerships with educational institutions and government agencies to support workforce development?
- What steps can we take to remove financial and access barriers for potential talent in our industry?
- How might we incorporate hands-on training and mentorship to create stronger, sustainable career pathways for new employees?
4:10 pm Searchlight Interactive Roundtable: What Do You Think Most Needs to Be Challenged in Construction HR?
An interactive roundtable session led by members of the LEAP HR Construction Searchlight network, designed to spark bold conversations and uncover fresh perspectives on the future of HR in construction.
Session Format: An engaging, interactive discussion facilitated by 3–6 Searchlight members, leading roundtable conversations.
Question: “What is the one piece of traditional thinking that most needs to be challenged in how we approach HR in construction?”