Knocking It out of the Park

In an industry that desperately needs more skilled laborers, opportunity abounds for a motivated individual with a working knowledge of tools and technique, and a willingness to learn on the job. For Brandon Battle, Construction Ready’s Pre-Apprenticeship training gave him a valuable head start and he’s been running with it ever since.

Brandon graduated with Westside Works Group 43 in October 2023 and was hired immediately by The Circle Group, a metro Atlanta-based contractor with offices in three states and Washington, D.C. He was assigned to work on a mixed-use development at Ponce City Market; when that project ended, he moved to another Atlanta-based company, New South Construction, with whom he is helping build the new Aviation Administration Center at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

On both jobs he has demonstrated a level of initiative that employers appreciate. “Just get me in the door, and I’ll knock it out of the park,” he says.

Brandon learned about the Pre-Apprentice program in a doctor’s office, of all places. He was in a waiting room with his wife when Construction Ready instructor Daniel Jean-Baptiste stopped in with some fliers. That kind of grassroots community canvassing is a key element of Construction Ready’s recruiting, and in this case, Brandon was hooked.

The son of a Ford Motor Company mechanic, he had grown up around tools, and he was interested in the notion of buying and renovating real estate properties. With his wife’s encouragement, he pursued the training, and he completed it with a new level of confidence in his abilities.

“Mr. Hughes was a great instructor,” Brandon says of Johnny Hughes, Construction Ready’s Vice President for Training Development. “He broke it down a lot, letting us know what the experience will be, what you will see on site – a lot of good information.”

After being hired by The Circle Group as a laborer, Brandon quickly moved up to a role as a carpenter and drywall mechanic on the Ponce City Market project. He started specializing in pocket door installation and ended up overseeing a crew.

“When I go to Ponce City Market, I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, I built those pocket doors,’” he says with pride.

When the project wrapped up, Brandon learned it would be a few months before another job assignment would be available. But he was eager to keep working, so he reached out to Nick Bruno, Construction Ready’s Admissions and Retention Manager, who directed him to an opening with New South Construction.

Within a matter of weeks, Brandon was back in the field, working closely alongside his supervisor, General Superintendent Dennis Evans, on the Hartsfield-Jackson project. Brandon says Evans has been a great source of encouragement, telling him, “I want to see you move up and get to a better level,” and he has responded in kind.

“He knows a lot about the site, so he can teach me a lot,” Brandon says. “If I’m on the outside looking in, it’s complicated, but he’s looking at the blueprints and can tell me, ‘This is this and that is that.’ I always ask questions before the day starts and at the end of the day. ‘What’s going on tomorrow?’ I love that every day is a different adventure.”

Evans began his own career as a laborer, and he’s now paying it forward by mentoring Brandon.

“It’s how I started in the field, as a laborer and a carpenter. I just worked my way through the rungs,” Evans says. “Somebody gave me an opportunity to keep learning, and that’s where I see Brandon, as somebody who took the time to go through the training, to obtain a job, and start working for it.

“He’s always early and he’s always there to work,” Evans continues. “It’s nice to have people who will accept being taught how to do something. It’s easier to train them and to keep training them. He’s truly doing a great job. We couldn’t be happier with him.”

Looking back on his training experience, Brandon has high praise for the Construction Ready curriculum. It “gave me a pivot moment, a big jump,” he says. “It gave me the credentials that I needed, and I’m very appreciative of it.”

People in his community have taken notice, too. “They ask how to start working construction jobs and I say, ‘Go to Westside Works, there’s a program called Construction Ready and they’ll get you right,’” Brandon explains. “I tell them they’ll be in the right spot, especially if they’re young, because companies want young people. It takes 20 days, but when you get through it, you’ll have a job.”