EP 33: Community Partnerships in the Skilled Trades with NEST Multi-Facility Management CEO Rob Almond

12/07/22 • 51 min

If you ever wonder how stores open back up after a hurricane, fire, flood, civil unrest or COVID it's companies like NEST and their network of providers that do the hard work. NEST is not only a major figure in facilities management they're also dedicated to closing the talent gap in the skilled trades, led by their CEO, Rob Almond.
Rob has spend most of his career at NEST and seen all the hard work the men and women who clean, repair and maintain the thousands of properties across their network in the US and Canada. This appreciation and dedication to community engagement led to the creation of NEST Nurtures and their Partnership with the Philadelphia chapter of NAWIC. These initiatives are just the beginning for what Rob and NEST are planning to do by leveraging the tens of thousands of providers to build a large coalition and find solutions to closing the talent gap in the skilled trades.
We are grateful and honored to join that mission and help Rob and his network get more people looking to the trades for a fulfilling life.

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Previous Episode

EP 32: General Contractor Mom Shows How the Trades Offer Flexibility, with Kristi Allen

Growing up in construction and being part of multiple generations of builders offered Kristi Allen the mentoring and pathway to a life in the trades. As owner of Woodcastle Builders and one of the inspirations for The House That She Built, Kristi has leveraged her career as a general contractor to pay it forward and show a new generation of girls the benefits of the blue collar life.
She also complemented her undergraduate and graduate studies with the hands-on learning of general contracting and is always seeking to expand her knowledge. We loved hearing how being a lifelong learner contributed to success and see this as another example that education and hands-on development can lead to great results.
If you would like to learn more about Kristi and The House That She Built here are some helpful resources:

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Next Episode

ENCORE EPISODE: Nuclear Fusion, Aerospace and the Trades with Jeremy Hollman of Commonwealth Fusion Systems

With the recent breakthrough in nuclear fusion technology it seems fitting to revisit our conversation with Commonwealth Fusion System's Jeremy Hollman.
With an impressive resume that includes testing and designing for groundbreaking projects at Boeing, SpaceX and Aurora Flight Sciences, Jeremy is that smart science guy we think only exists in movies like The Saint.

This extensive experience in such an important field sounds intimidating, and that may be the very reason many skilled tradespeople think they need an engineering or advanced science degree to get their foot in the door of cutting-edge industries.

Now leading the development of nuclear fusion technology at Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Jeremy shares how his experiences as a student made him aware of how technical workers are crucial to the development of advanced technology.

Be part of the movement that inspires students and laborers to join companies that are changing the world!

Topics discussed in this episode:

Derek’s experience putting together an aerospace conference
How technical skills are key to the aerospace industry
Skills Jeremy was taught by coworkers at SpaceX that can’t be learned from a book
The difference between fusion and fission technology
Why nuclear fusion technology is better for the environment and cost effective
Hurdles faced by private companies to move past the development phase
How Commonwealth Fusion Systems is bringing opportunities to the local community
Progress on the building of Spark, Commonwealth Fusion Systems’ demonstration plant in Devon, MA
How building partnerships with local schools is key to creating a strong and skilled workforce
Reasons many laborers aren’t aware of opportunities in advanced tech fields or don’t want to be a part of it
Why Jeremy made the switch from the defense and aerospace fields to the energy sector with Commonwealth Fusion Systems
How solving energy problems can help solve some of the world’s conflicts
Benefits of working in the private sector to effectively make change
Why government collaboration is important to companies and communities
Movement building to educate and bring communities on board
Current job openings at Commonwealth Fusion Systems

Learn more about Commonwealth Fusion Systems

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