APPLETON, Wis. — Brady Calmes could be doing any number of jobs during one of his workdays on construction sites. And that’s how he prefers it.
“We do everything. We pour concrete. We frame walls. We put the drywall on,” he said. “We hang doors. We make out own custom cabinets for offices like this one.”
Calmes is a working foreman with Calmes Construction Services, a division of Consolidated Construction Co, Inc. based in Appleton.
Consolidated’s log of work continues to grow. It’s seeking about 10 people to help fill jobs as it takes on construction jobs around Wisconsin and the Midwest.
On a recent day, Calmes was doing finishing work on a stage in a church and helping hang doors in an office. There’s a satisfaction to that work that lingers long after it’s completed.
“When we do finishing work and you see all the finished work, like wrapping beams in cedar and you’ll see all the exterior stuff you put on a building,” he said. “You’ll drive past it and point to whoever you’re with and say, ‘We did that. It turned out pretty nice, and the customer was happy.’”
Michelle Rueckl, Consolidated’s director of human resources, said needed positions range from carpenters and steel workers to site superintendents and project managers.
That need is driven by growth in the business and a general need for help in the industry.
“We serve six major markets. We have food and beverage, manufacturing, schools, hospitality, senior living and multifamily,” she said. “That variety provides us a lot of opportunity to really get into a community and then follow the buildings.”
Rueckl said when the work is done, employees can look back at a tangible reminder of their efforts.
“Just that inherent sense of I was able to provide a dream for somebody and now it’s their reality,” she said. “I think that’s the coolest part, watching it all come together. When you just see the rough dirt there and the picture, it like will it really look like what I want? Then when it’s all said and done, you’re like, ‘Wow.’”
Calmes said the workload has been brisk the past few years. He doesn’t see it slowing.
“We need a lot of young guys who are willing and ambitious and want to work. Honestly, it’s fun,” he said. “Not to bag on any of the office jobs, but when you get to be hands on and do this type of work, you’re being physically active but you’re also learning.”
A link to careers at Consolidated Construction Co. can be found here.