Mentoring and its connection to construction is something that is not often spoken about out in the field where there is typically a group of experienced journeymen and a foreman in charge of the crew.  However, on occasion, you may have an apprentice or two on the job site who are at the beginning journey of their career.  The foreman is usually a qualified and competent person along with fellow competent journeymen. That being said, a qualified person is a professional with the training credentials, diversified experience, and knowledge in his or her craft and authority to address any safety-related issues. This skill set is often acquired over time through work experience.

In construction conversations, the term mentorship is not used often but it really should be recognized as a meaningful tool in the industry. With so much experience and a strong knowledge base, mentors can serve as a powerful resource to mentees in the field who can benefit from the guidance.  Simply put, a mentorship consists of someone with a genuine interest in a new field or in career advancement spending time with a person (or persons) who has more experience and wisdom or knowledge to share and is willing to share what they know.  Research indicates that the mentor and mentee relationship is actually mutually beneficial for both. As the construction industry continues to develop a culture of ongoing mentorship, reverse mentoring (more experienced individuals learning from those with less experience) will occur more often, too. In addition, the mentors themselves also benefit from supervising peers and younger employees. It is one of the best opportunities for mentors to develop leadership skills and improve communication skills. In addition, mentorship can also help reinforce their own knowledge and work techniques.

Whether formally recognized or not, peer mentoring occurs often in construction and the trades on many job sites where workers with mixed experiences team together to get the job done.

My suggestion on how to be a helpful peer mentor to others in the field: it all starts with leadership from the top. Try to team up with an eager apprentice who wants to learn more and who can benefit from being your mentee. Always teach safety first and what to look for to avoid potentially dangerous hazards. You are guiding your mentee in the right direction to ensure it is a safe workplace for all. Follow up on a weekly basis, especially during the first several weeks. Think about people who have helped you excel in your career journey, and try to offer the same guidance to newer people in the field.

As a mentee, it’s important to choose a mentor who has the willingness and desire to mentor. Be open-minded and listen and ask many questions. Asking questions will allow you to learn all the nuances of the job. Be respectful and appreciative of the mentor taking the time to explain.

To conclude, one of the greatest assets of a company is its strong workforce. If employees can work together and learn from one another, it will be beneficial for all.

Regards,

Mark W. Thackray
Operations Safety Director
Thackray Crane Rental, Inc.

Discover more about the Thackray difference today at ThackrayCrane.com.

For your construction project needs, call us at 1-800-34-CRANE or email [email protected].

At Thackray Crane, we’re often thought of as the go-to crane and equipment rental company in the tri-state area. But we’re more than just heavy equipment rentals. Thackray Crane is also the Philadelphia area’s most dependable 24/7 trucking and transport company. We service all needs from small jobs to oversized hauls requiring the closest attention to logistics, permitting, and routing through both tight city terrain and rural and suburban areas. Thackray’s trucking and transport services are available to our customers 24/7, 365 days a year, allowing us to meet any time-of-day requirement.

We have one of the area’s largest truck fleets for hauling including stake bodies, high flats, lowboys, step decks, double drops, single drops, and box trucks. We have trucks and trailers that provide different services to help you complete any job of any complexity.

Our drivers are top-notch and the most experienced in the business. We only use the best, most highly qualified drivers available who are fully trained, licensed, and certified. Our dependable and reliable drivers will ensure that your delivery is handled with the utmost care.

When it comes to the loading and unloading of your haul, our team takes care of everything. Our drivers will safely load it on, fully secure it, weatherproof it, and deliver it safely and on time. At the time of unloading, we work with you to determine what’s needed at the site. Whether it’s a simple delivery to a loading dock bay or a job site that needs a crane lift or helicopter lift out, we take care of it all.

In addition, Thackray can coordinate all of the routing and permitting for your heavy haul. Thackray handles all the logistics to make your project delivery as smooth and headache-free as possible.

Because we’ve been in the business for such a long time, and we are extremely familiar with Philadelphia and the surrounding areas, and this allows for efficient and timely delivery. You can depend on Thackray who’s been serving the area for 70+ years to handle any hauling job out there at the industry’s most attractive price points.

Give Thackray a call today at 844-99-CRANE to book your next heavy hauling or transport job and experience the Thackray difference. You can also learn more about our trucking and transport services here or email us direct at [email protected].

This week in March is recognized as Women in Construction week, and there has never been a more vital time to build an inclusive, equitable and diverse workforce. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, women account for less than 11% of all people working in the construction industry. Not only was Thackray Crane Rental co-founded by a young woman entrepreneur, but it has and continues to proudly employ a growing number of women both in the office and out in the field.

In 1947, Anna Cassalia Thackray and her husband Walter Thackray started Thackray Crane Rental on the principles of honesty and integrity. Anna was greatly influenced by her own parents, Frances and Ben Cassalia, to become involved in the construction industry. Having emigrated from Italy, Anna’s parents both displayed a strong work ethic; Anna’s father was a builder who constructed many of the homes and apartment complexes in the Philadelphia area.

With the purchase of a single TL20 Lorrain crane, Walter was concentrating on the new business by operating the equipment and building relationships with customers, while Anna was at home running the administrative side of the company out of their kitchen, all while tending to her six children and taking care of her older parents and neighbors.

Anna was genuine and she quickly connected with the customers and leaders in the industry. As she engaged with customers, it became evident that Anna had a natural knack for cultivating life-long business relationships based on trust and customer satisfaction.

As a successful businesswoman, Anna was also fiercely dedicated to giving back to her community, along with her husband. The couple felt it was important to support their community as much as they could. Some of the philanthropic work that Anna and Walter spent much of their time on was helping to dismantle, rebuild and donate to St. Cecilia Church, the local parish where they remained lifelong parishioners.

As a trailblazer in the male-dominated construction industry, many would agree that Anna was ahead of her time. Her legacy continues to serve as an inspiration for other women to follow in her footsteps.

In celebration of Women in Construction Week, we are proud to honor our very own, the late Anna Cassalia Thackray, for all of her significant contributions to the construction industry and community alike. Thackray Crane Rental remains committed to the construction industry’s progress, and we will continue to do our part to ensure that women are a thriving part of the industry’s future success.

At Thackray Crane we boast one of the largest fleets of industry-leading cranes on the east coast.  Whatever your need to rent a crane; large or small . . . Thackray Crane has the model to fit your project needs.  From a small crane job needing a boom truck all the way to jobs needing a skyscraper reaching cranes or even helicopter lifts, we have the equipment, operators, and planning logistic capabilities to tackle any project.

Recently we’ve added the brand new Liebherr LTM 1300-6.2.  This 360 ton All Terrain Crane is just one of many impressive cranes that can be rented short-term or long-term for your project.  We also have professionally trained NCCCO and OSHA-certified crane operators that will help bring your project to completion and can handle any crane operation request.

We’ve conveniently included a few of our most popular crane load charts for you to download.  Browse these and if you don’t see what you’re looking for, contact us today and one of our representatives will assess your requirements and line you up with the crane that best suits the project.

Load Chart Quick Jump

• LTM 1300-6.2
• GROVE RT540E
• ELLIOTT 36127R
• GMK6250-L
• RT875E
• CK2500-250
• TMS9000E
• YB4415XT
• 1044C
• LTM 1400
• LTM 1250
• LTM 1200

If you’re looking for the right partner to help complete your next heavy-lift or construction project, Thackray Crane has the equipment and resources you need.  Give us a call today at 844-99-CRANE or complete this quick contact form with job details.  One of our reps will be in touch shortly to review the job specs, recommend the right equipment, and get you the quote you’re looking for.

In the construction industry, the need for the right equipment and the right operators is always a top priority. Thackray Crane not only offers the best fleet of cranes to rent for your project, but we also staff the area’s best, NCCCO and OSHA certified crane operators. At Thackray Crane, we’re not just a piece of the puzzle . . . we’re part of your team and we’re here to help you succeed with all the challenges that any construction project can bring.

We have certified crane operators for every type of crane your project may need, including mobile cranes, boom trucks, tower cranes, crawler cranes, telehandlers, and more. We even have certified operators and drivers for tractors and trailers if your project needs large transportation.

While some companies deliver equipment, Thackray delivers heavy duty equipment with a certified operator that best meets your project needs.

• Our crane operators are licensed and nationally certified.
• All crane operators have the proper credentials required by OSHA and ASME regulations.
• Every operator understands and excels at crane set-up, load dynamics, lift planning, load charts, rigging and signaling.
• Thackray Crane operators follow all the latest and safest operating procedures.
• Our crane operators have thousands of documented hours of safe operation on countless construction jobs.
• To ensure safety, we have the areas strictest training regimen in place for all our employees.
• All of our cranes are regularly inspected and maintained to ensure you get the best equipment and our operators are handling the safest possible equipment for the job.

If you’re looking for the right partner to help complete your next heavy lift or construction project, Thackray Crane has the equipment and resources you need.  Give us a call today at 844-99-CRANE or complete this quick contact form with job details.  One of our reps will be in touch shortly to review the job specs, recommend the right equipment, and get you the quote you’re looking for.