Constructing Opportunity Five Industry Voices Reflect on the Evolving World of Construction By JOHN HERRERA, MOUNTAIN STATES PRESIDENT Adolfson & Peterson Construction Workforce development is something I’m deeply passionate about. I came up through the trades and I still believe today that construction is one of the most rewarding and opportunity-rich industries out there. To explore how we can attract, grow and retain the next generation of talent, I sat down with four industry professionals who represent different paths, roles and stages of their careers. These industry enthusiasts identified what’s working and what still needs to evolve in our approach to workforce development. Meet the Contributors Devon Hutton grew up on a farm in northern Minnesota, where hands-on work was a way of life. He entered the electrical trade as an apprentice in his hometown before making the move to Colorado. Today, he’s building his career as an apprentice electrician at Encore Electric. Freehley Buster once bartended a private Super Bowl party for Will Ferrell. An experience that prepared him for the organized chaos of the jobsite. He began his construction career 12 years ago as an apprentice electrician and now serves as manpower manager at Encore Electric, where he coordinates staffing across multiple projects. Megan Collins Vidal launched her construction career as a college intern with Adolfson & Peterson Construction (AP). A graduate of Iowa State University’s construction engineering program, six years later, she leads teams as a project manager. Off the clock, Megan enjoys translating her project skills to the kitchen, where she experiments with bold flavor combinations and unexpected ingredient pairings. Zach Beck began his construction career in 2007 as a welder, later finding his calling in carpentry. Now a journeyman carpenter with AP, Zach has been with the company for over four years and recently graduated from the CITC carpenter apprentice program (May 2025). A creative at heart, he enjoys drawing and has always had one of these hands-on projects in his work. ZACH BECK Journeyman Carpenter DEVIN HUTTON Apprentice Electrician JOHN HERRERA Regional President MEGAN COLLINS VIDAL Project Manager FREEHLEY BUSTER Manpower Manager 18
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