Since the inception of the Inclusion Council in 2020, we have new members and new goals to help refine our initiatives. Here is an update on our top 3 initiatives:
Employee Education and Development
Implementing internal education and employee development led to successful diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) training for management, and a further initiative included revamping our employee website to foster mutual understanding of DEIB and addressing common questions.
Recruitment and Retention
Our second initiative addresses the need to pursue equitable recruiting and retention practices to find, retain, and foster a diverse employee talent base. Consequently, we have observed an increase in diversity in our recruiting talent pool and current employee demographics. To further this commitment, we expanded the reach of our summer intern program, actively welcoming talents from across the nation.
“This year, we partnered with two new scholarship programs, Rainier Scholars and Degrees of Change, through which we successfully recruited two interns for this cohort,” stated Recruiting Coordinator Riley Cooper. MacDonald-Miller remains dedicated to supporting the next generation of professionals by offering innovative internship positions within our organization and creating an inclusive recruiting environment. As we look ahead to 2024, our focus will shift to evaluating talent retention with the aim to curate and foster a supportive work environment as we pioneer safe spaces for feedback and community-building.
Community Outreach
In compliance with our third initiative, which focuses on community engagement, MacMiller has maintained working relationships with two local organizations, STEM Paths Innovation Network (SPIN) and ANEW. SPIN builds interest among minority and female middle school and high school students in STEM fields. We recently hosted SPIN in our Seattle sheet metal shop at the beginning of the year. Students learned about the mechanical industry, how ductwork is created, and even got to fabricate their own sheet metal toolbox.
We continue to strengthen our relationship with ANEW, a nonprofit with the mission to improve the pathway for women in the trade fields through monetary sponsorships, pre-apprentice training, and other resources to jumpstart their careers. This year, MacMiller employees have assisted in mock interviews with ANEW participants. This process even resulted in the hiring of two new service technicians!
WHAT’S NEXT
We will be highlighting our commitment to DEIB practices through participation in Construction Inclusion Week (CIW) again this year. Planning is already underway for this week in October, when our employees will be encouraged to participate in “Toolbox Talks” and discover ways in which they can exhibit DEIB within the MacMiller community.
Diversity makes us stronger. Our commitment to an inclusive culture resonates through every fiber of our organization, but it takes work. The inclusion council is grateful for the progress we have made and eager to continue the work in advancing DEIB for the construction industry.
