The Builders Guild of Western Pennsylvania is a unique construction industry initiative, representing 32 Building Trades Unions and 17 affiliated Contractor Associations and Employer Groups. In addition, the Builders Guild is believed to be the first initiative of its kind to be created and funded by the building trades unions.

The Builders Guild was begun to forge positive labor, management and community relationships, while encouraging a cooperative and productive climate for regional development. Central to its mission is to change the way unions and management 'do business' by fostering cooperation, encouraging working partnerships, and creating an environment that promotes economic and professional growth.

Governed by an Executive Board, the Builders Guild was formally incorporated in November 1999 and is supported by an Advisory Council comprised of more than forty construction industry officials including contractors, educators, developers, architects, government officials, facility managers, negotiators, professional association leaders, labor representatives and representatives of the region's minority community.

Since its inception, the Builders Guild has been assisting the building trades unions in becoming more cooperative and customer friendly, while working to provide long-term career opportunities for skilled, professional craftsmen within southwestern Pennsylvania.

During its infancy, the Builders Guild conducted research to determine perceptions of the construction industry and how the building trades unions are viewed within a 33-county area. Findings identified misconceptions of working with and within the union building trades. By identifying the issues, acquiring accurate data, and addressing these 'gaps' factually, the Builders Guild has begun to diminish these misconceptions and encourage a more unified industry conscience toward building relationships, quality, productivity and cooperation.

Another research study lead to the creation of a Minority Task Force and the development of an extensive recruitment campaign. Called ' Trade Me', this program provides information about career opportunities in construction trades to young people and minorities in southwestern Pennsylvania.

In fact, Trade Me marks the first time the building trades in southwestern Pennsylvania have come together as one to launch an educational program to recruit interested men and women-and particularly minorities -- into the trades.

Trade Me materials, including a Trade Me brochure, a professional presentation, career tabletop displays and individual training seminars, were developed and are now available to building trades representatives, apprenticeship programs, Minority Task Force members, schools, churches and community groups. To monitor the effectiveness of the campaign, the Builders Guild is working with the building trades to collect, maintain and report resulting recruitment statistics to the City of Pittsburgh.

A marketing campaign is also underway to highlight the cost/value of union construction and the commitment of the region's building trades to quality craftsmanship, training, safety, cooperation, professional work ethics, and completing projects on time and on budget.

Leadership training and educational resources are also being developed to help experienced craftsmen sharpen their management skills, while giving them the state-of-the-art training they need to meet the demands of an ever-evolving industry.