AED: A Valuable Employee Training Resource for the Construction Equipment Industry

Despite the cyclical nature of construction in the United States, the construction equipment industry is fortunate to have many firms that have endured through the good times and bad. While some companies often attribute their success to subjective factors, like a dynamic leader, many others have reversed the "top down" approach and continue to succeed by habitually investing in their employees. That's where AED comes in.

Employee training can be accomplished in a variety of ways, however the construction equipment industry is fortunate to have a special resource: AED. The Association of Leaders in Equipment Distribution (AED) is an international trade association representing companies in the construction industry and operates the AED Foundation that provides industry training, education and career development resources to member companies. For many, assistance from the AED Foundation has proven invaluable in growing employees and company success.

One company that is an excellent example of this success is Stephenson Equipment, Inc. based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1957, Stephenson has been named one of the Top 50 Fastest Growing Companies in Central Pennsylvania in 2006, 2007 and 2008. In addition, the company has grown over 300% within the last six years. Company President and CEO Dennis Heller attributes a great deal of its success to employee training; Stephenson aspires to have every employee receive a minimum of 40 hours of training per year via courses provided by the AED Foundation, as well as equipment manufacturers.

"AED is a tremendous resource for any dealer," said Heller. "It behooves a dealer to take advantage of the resources AED can provide, not only from a political standpoint, but also the training resources. I don't know anywhere else where we would obtain more pertinent, focused training for our technicians that go so far beyond the technical and specific training a manufacturer provides."

The AED Foundation offers a wide variety of classes and resources that any firm in the construction industry would find useful. These include the sophisticated business simulation program Test Drive, regular seminars featuring subjects like financial management as well as a number of classes available online. The result is a flexible learning tool that gives employees the ability to improve themselves and the company they work for.

Stephenson Equipment has found this resource extremely helpful in improving its bottom line. The AED Foundation's training modules have helped the company refine its monthly performance sheets for parts and service managers. AED metrics are based on information assembled from the construction equipment business, so when comparing performance with competitors, CEO Heller knows the numbers are accurate. In addition, SEI has found the AED Foundation' certification program so valuable, that the firm encourages all key managers to obtain their management certification. "We use AED's training programs and information because it helps our managers become better managers, and it helps us benchmark our business model against other successful dealers," said Heller.

In conclusion, long-term success can often be attributed to many things, however employee training and development can be seen as a critical component. In the construction equipment industry, The AED Foundation is a valuable partner in helping firms establish an employee training and development program. With the overwhelmingly positive experiences reported by companies like Stephenson Equipment, every firm should consider using the resources available to grow not only its employees, but also its success.