What made a Crockett High School intern's eyes light up when he discovered construction safety as a career path?
Sarah Garza sits down with Jason Beiter, Vice President and Director of Construction Operations at JE Dunn Construction, one of Austin's top five general contractors. With over two decades of construction experience, Jason serves on the Mobility and Infrastructure Leadership Group convened by Workforce Solutions Capital Area. He shares his journey from working as a busboy to leading complex infrastructure projects including Austin Convention Center renovation. Jason champions workforce development through mentorship, believing that inspired people build exceptional places and create sustainable career pathways.
This conversation explores how JE Dunn is addressing Central Texas' infrastructure boom while building tomorrow's workforce. Topics include the Austin Infrastructure Academy's mission to create career roadmaps for skilled trades, strategies for attracting women and younger generations to construction, overcoming the aging workforce challenge, and JE Dunn's safety-first culture including bilingual training programs. Jason shares powerful stories of student interns discovering construction careers, the importance of language training on job sites, and how major public projects create sustainable, well-paying jobs for Austin residents.
Jason Beiter is Vice President and Director of Construction Operations for JE Dunn Construction in Austin, Texas. With more than two decades of experience in construction and program management, Jason leads complex projects that shape Austin's growing infrastructure landscape. A champion of workforce development, he serves on the Mobility and Infrastructure Leadership Group, convened by Workforce Solutions Capital Area, which brings together industry leaders to identify skill needs, remove barriers for job seekers, and build a strong regional talent pipeline for the future. Jason's leadership emphasizes collaboration, mentorship, and the belief that inspired people build exceptional places.
In This Episode:
- (00:00) Jason's first job as a busboy and early lessons in teamwork and responsibility
- (04:14) How JE Dunn is powering major Austin projects like theconvention center renovation
- (09:03) Creating the Austin Infrastructure Academy to provide a roadmap for career seekers
- (10:30) Meeting the challenge of an aging workforce and attracting women to construction careers
- (20:01) Real story of a Crockett High School intern discovering his construction career path
- (22:47) The importance of safety and communication on job sites through language training programs
- Like and subscribe to hear all of our informative upcoming episodes!
About the show:
Austin Hires Local, powered by Workforce Solutions Capital Area, dives deep with the trailblazers who are shaping the future of jobs in our city, our state, and even nationally. We pull back the curtain on the challenges we all face – the anxieties, the roadblocks, and what's holding us back from filling those critical open positions. But hey, it's not all doom and gloom. We also celebrate the victories: the ingenious solutions, the unexpected collaborations, and the best practices that are making us all sharper. You’ll hear guests from all sides of the table – elected officials with a finger on the pulse of the economy, industry leaders from booming sectors like tech, healthcare, and skilled trades, and educators shaping young minds in our schools and post-secondary education programs. So, tune in and get ready to be informed, inspired, and maybe even surprised by the future of work in Austin.
Resources:
Jason Beiter LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jason-...
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