PCL Construction builds success through shared values
When Kim Heit stepped onto her first construction site as a co-op student with Edmonton-based PCL Construction 25 years ago, it would have been easy to be intimidated by the scale and heavy-duty machinery. Looking back, however, her biggest take-away from that time is the incredible team.
“It was the people that captured me very quickly,” says the construction manager. “They were so excited to share their knowledge and experiences and let you be a part of the team.”
That sense of inclusion is the same feeling that Harmony Carter, vice-president of people and culture, experienced when she started as a co-op student 23 years ago.
“Every single employee, no matter how senior, was willing to offer me support or take the time to talk. It felt so different from my other co-op placements,” recalls Carter.
“Everyone is so passionate about what PCL does and their role that they will always give the time and have the willingness to share.”
While Heit was first taken by the welcoming culture at PCL, the alignment with her personal values was instrumental to her longevity with one of Canada’s largest contracting companies.
Whether it’s through volunteering with United Way and the local food bank or sitting on the diversity, equity and inclusion committee, Heit feels fortunate to have found a company that so closely matches her own ideals.
“I knew very early on in my career what I wanted, the kind of the people I wanted to be with and the culture I wanted to be surrounded by,” Heit says. “PCL is very vocal about their core values, what they stand for and what they believe in.”
Being crystal clear about its values – including honesty, respect and integrity for team members and clients – has only helped to bolster the company’s success.
“It serves us well in every situation to determine whether someone shares our values,” Carter explains. “It creates an environment for them to thrive.”
Being fully employee-owned, investing in employee leadership, and ongoing professional training are other key ways PCL ensures employees like Heit can reach their full potential.
From the time she was a young swimming instructor, leadership became a lifelong personal interest for Heit, who is actively enrolled in one of PCL's high potential development programs.
“They put a high level of involvement into making sure that we're growing and mentoring and that those opportunities are open to everyone,” she says.
The result, adds Carter, is a skilled, passionate team empowered to do the best for both their own careers and others.
“Part of the employee ownership model is that we all bring our best selves to work,” she says. “That includes being our authentic selves and being able to be open and honest.”
Those guiding principles are also part of what helped steer Heit’s career growth over the last two-and-a-half decades, and something the mother of three is grateful for.
“Being a mom, there are maternity leaves, kids might get sick. PCL gave me the opportunity to merge my personal values and needs with my career needs,” she says.
Through open conversations with her teams, Heit was able to have the family and career satisfaction she wanted without feeling like she was letting go of something.
“I’m still encouraged to continue to grow in my career, but I don't feel like there's a pressure to sacrifice, which wouldn’t align with my values,” she says.
“My career growth has been different from the counterparts that I started with 25 years ago,” says Heit. “But that was a choice that I made and my company supported.”
PCL Construction is powering a brighter global future
Five years into his career at PCL Construction, Don Demers was offered an opportunity to be a part of something new and exciting for the general contracting giant – solar energy.
“We saw that there was a new market approaching that was kind of niche and I felt I had the opportunity to become an expert in the solar market,” says the superintendent, who just marked his 16th year with the Edmonton-based company.
That initial project, the Breen 2 solar park in Putnam, Ont., was the first step in a new path for Demers. Not only was it an opportunity to carve out a niche and develop expertise in the construction industry while growing in his profession, it was a chance to make a difference in the world.
“I fell in love with the work,” says Demers. “I have stuck with it ever since and truly have a passion for the impact that these projects have on the communities in and around where we’re building.”
PCL is focused on utility-grade solar projects – large-scale solar panel projects that produce power to feed into the broader power grid – in Canada, the U.S. and Australia.
In the bigger picture, clean solar energy is helping the world reach net-zero goals and create a greener future for the planet, Demers notes.
“That’s the thing that excites me the most. There’s a need for alternative power sources,” he says. “It’s going to make a better future for the younger generations.”
Since working in solar, PCL has only seen both demand and capacity for its projects increase – recently surpassing six gigawatts of built solar capacity – thanks to its team’s dedicated commitment and solid training.
“It’s a milestone we are particularly proud of,” says Todd Craigen, COO and president of corporate services, who also oversees solar operations.
“Countries are setting targets and making commitments and we have the expertise to deliver,” he says. “We started at 10 megawatts and there are projects that are now in gigawatts – it’s incredible to think how much it’s grown over the years and it’s still going.”
The construction industry, he says, has a role to play in reducing carbon emissions – from helping to build the kind of utility-scale solar projects that PCL is excelling at to the actual structures being built in people’s communities.
“It’s an industry-wide responsibility,” says Craigen. “Solar power is going to become an integral part of the built environment: buildings, houses, factories, warehouses – you name it. The industry is heading in a great direction and we’re fortunate enough to help our employees provide meaningful contributions towards a net-zero built environment.”
While working on the Travers Solar Project in Vulcan, Alta., Canada’s largest solar farm, Demers says he had a “light-bulb” moment.
“Our ability to take on these projects comes down to our people and everything they bring to the table,” he says.
The father of two is hopeful that when he retires from the construction industry, he will be able to say that he had a part in creating a better world for his children and eventual grandchildren.
“When I’m hanging up my boots and calling it a day, looking back at all of the cleaner energy projects I’ve been a part of,” he says, “I feel like I will have had an impact on a greener, healthier planet for future generations.”
PCL Construction is building the country’s new builders
Jacob Bardati remembers the moment that cemented his desire to work with PCL Construction. It was the heat of summer on Toronto’s busy King Street and, standing several storeys high on a commercial office tower, the then co-op student saw the full scope of the work he was doing with Canada’s largest general contractor.
“I remember that sense of organization and doing something impactful,” says the assistant superintendent. “I always wanted the opportunity to leave a legacy or do something meaningful.”
After three terms as a co-op student Bardati was hired full-time and, with the help of professional development initiatives from PCL such as the Accelerated Superintendent Development (ASD) program, he was able to quickly grow his career.
The program gave Bardati the opportunity to connect and learn from experienced mentors in his field, something he found invaluable in broadening his understanding of how to handle real life challenges that may arise.
“You don't get to see every job that we're working on, so it's an opportunity for other people to showcase what they've learned and done,” he explains.
“It helps everyone, because you always have problems in construction, so having other people share what worked helps better your knowledge as a superintendent.”
The ASD program is just one piece of the broader training culture at the Edmonton-based general contractor, which uses innovative methodologies to sharpen employees’ technical, leadership and interpersonal skills.
At PCL, investing in employee skills development is an integral piece of how it stays at the forefront of innovation in the construction industry.
“As the company grows, we want to make sure that our growth potential is beyond where we are currently,” says Harmony Carter, vice president of people and culture.
“We’re always asking, ‘How do we accelerate our ability to grow and also make sure that our employees are ready for it?’”
PCL’s College of Construction ensures employees have a clear understanding of their career opportunities and can access the necessary skills for growth. The company is also implementing a new learning award that recognizes the importance of growth in the workplace.
“We’ve created a learning culture where everyone is constantly learning new things and also about the skills for tomorrow,” says Carter, who started at PCL 23 years ago as a co-op student herself.
While some kinds of training are more niche and geared toward a specific department, PCL also offers robust leadership programs that are available to any employee.
For Bardati, leadership training has been another key to success because, as he explains, he’s not the one swinging the hammer, but directing the person with the hammer.
“Interpersonal skills are what drive us, especially in my role,” he says. “You can always teach someone how to build something, but teaching someone how to interact with people is a very special skill.”
Leadership training gave Bardati the time and space to examine himself as a person, a rare opportunity in an industry that moves so quickly.
“Construction is so fast paced, the training forced me to take a breath and reflect on my personal skills, not only my technical skills.”
PCL’s leadership program now surpasses over 1,000 graduates, a testament to the interest in personal growth. “We're very proud of that milestone,” says Carter.
As a fully employee-owned company, helping staff reach their full potential also directly ties back to the company’s purpose: to build a better future through people, communities and legacies.
“We truly believe that if people are becoming leaders, they're not only leaders within the organization but also within the communities that we serve,” she says. “It’s a win-win.”