Pub. 1 2018-2019 Issue 4

17 November and has also started its own lunch-and-learn sessions, patterned after the ones that are already being presented by UAPAbut focusing on the specific needs of the southern part of the state. A recent lunchand learn session includedahot-plant tour that had approximately 40 attendees. The hot-plant tour was chosen because many of the people who make decisions about roads, and especially about releas- ing payment for those roads, had never actually been in a hot plant. Running a hot plant is demanding, skilledwork.The plants themselves are oftenworth approximately $6 million dollars. The control shack has a complicatedmixof buttons, computers, and levers. Operators are responsible formaking sure that the work is done right and that the product is of high quality. Inadvertently workingwith anempty bin can cost $25per ton. Bigger operatingmistakes can result in everything having to be redone. To provide some context for the potential size of the losses, there are four hot plants in the area (with one located in Mesquite) and they generate 350,000 tons per year. The plant in St. George generates 150,000 tons per year. Multiply 350,000 tons by $25, and the result is $8,750,000. Another important subject beingaddressed by the council is the need for new employ- ees. It isn’t possible to just hire someone off the street and expect them to walk into a job and correctly do the expected work. The work to be done requires specialized training, and training takes time. In order to make sure that there will be enough high-quality candidates for the industry during the coming years, the council is reaching out to the community and teachingstudents about theworkpossi- bilities that are available.The goal is towork with local high schools and trade schools to promote careers in the asphalt industry. Jeremy likes what Mike Rowe has to say about employment today. Mike Rowe, the creator and executive producer of Dirty Jobs on the Discovery Channel, has made a career out of celebrating the skilled work necessary for many satisfying but dirty jobs. Jeremy agrees with Mike that students don’t have to go to a university in order to finding challenging, interesting work. The Southern Utah Regional Leadership Council has made a strong start in making sure that the region’s needs are understood, providing educational opportunities tailored to the region’s specific challenges, and being an industry advocate to persuade tomorrow’s potential employees that asphalt can be the basis for a satisfying and well-paid career. 3 Mark Droubay, Double D Distribution WHY MEMBERSHIP? C onstruction is an industry where you learn by doing … especially when it comes to pavement preservation. There isn’t a degree in how best to preserve pavement, you learn from those who have experience in the industry. Membership in UAPA is a great way to find mentorship and gain industry-specific education.