In an effort to promote safer workplaces, Rosendin will share its innovative approach to training teams in high risk environments that has made it among the largest and safest construction companies in America. The electrical contracting company created a unique approach to training using validating questions to promote audience participation and critical thinking, leading to greater retention and use.

Rosendin Corporate Trainer, Brandon Dickey, will provide tips and examples from the program on September 19 at Training Magazine’s TechLearn 2024 Conference, being held at the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center in Austin, Texas. During a session called “Leadership and Management Training in High-Risk Environments” he will discuss the unique challenges of training construction teams and provide practical strategies for creating a culture of safety and productivity.

“We reinvented a way to engage participants without using traditional lectures. Instead, we are using probing questions that encourage attendees to incorporate their own values. Then we have them think critically about how their values impact the people on their teams and personal lives,” said Brandon Dickey, co-creator of Rosendin’s leadership training program. “We made our training human-centric, creating more profound connections with leaders who manage teams and also to make it easier to relate to, especially for attendees who manage teams where tasks, conditions, or an expedited schedule can increase the risk of injury.”

Dickey’s approach has been embraced by construction workers, who value his experience as both a trainer and a career electrician with the IBEW Local 26 in Washington, D.C. Since joining the training team out of Rosendin’s Sterling, Virginia office in 2020, he travels across the country as a corporate trainer with the award-winning Learning and Development department.

The program is so innovative, Dickey and his manager, Jeff Daigle, were invited to share their training techniques with members of the Association for Talent Development (ATD), the world’s largest association dedicated to those who develop talent in organizations. ATD Research recently included their insight in an article called Bridging the Skills Gap: Using Learning Opportunities to Address Current and Future Talent Needs and let them share tactical advice during a forum session at ATD24, the association’s annual conference. ATD is also working on detailing Rosendin’s training process in a case study for its 30,000 global members.

“Rosendin’s facilitation style is different because it’s 40% asking the audience questions, 40% performing activities, and 20% lecturing. This shows people how to stop mindlessly implementing rules and identify the ‘why’ so they can instill proactive steps with their team,” said Jeff Daigle, Rosendin Training Manager and program co-creator. “It’s more challenging for our facilitators than a traditional lecture, and we have built extra time in the sessions to have an open conversation.  It requires more time, but we’re getting a great response and 99% of the attendees surveyed requested their managers attend.”

As the nation’s largest employee-owned electrical contracting company with over 7,500 team members, Rosendin values a culture of safety focused on continuous improvement. By promoting quality through operational efficiency, engaged teams deliver their best work on landmark construction projects across the United States.

Rosendin, headquartered in San Jose, CA, is the largest employee-owned electrical contractors in the United States, employing over 7,500 people, with average annual revenues of $2.9 billion. Established in 1919, Rosendin remains proud of our more than 100 years of building quality electrical and communications installations and value for our clients but, most importantly, for building people within our company and our communities. Our customers lead some of the most complex construction projects in history and rely on us for our knowledge, ability to scale, and dedication to quality. At Rosendin, we work to ensure that everyone can reach their full potential by building a diverse, safe, welcoming, and inclusive culture. For more information, visit www.rosendin.com.