Constructing elevators is a dangerous job — workers need a lot of training to do the work safely.  “You have electrical hazards, you have mechanical hazards, height, chemicals, confined spaces… the list goes on and on,” says Dennis O’Niel, who runs the apprenticeship programs for Local One of the International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC).  At Local One, workers undergo a four-year apprenticeship program. The classes meet once a week for four hours, about 40 weeks out of the year. That’s 144 hours of required class time a year.  The first seven weeks of class all put safety first, with class titles like “Introduction to Safety,” “Safety During Construction,” and “Safety during Maintenance.”  The instructors are veteran workers with years of experience constructing and maintaining elevators, says O’Niel.

How can we describe the successful workplace of the 21st century? Is it a place where great teams come together to solve exciting and thought provoking problems? Is it not a place where we can amply the three “C”’s- collaboration, cooperation and communication (both orally and in written form). The successful team does follow the three C’s and establish an atmosphere where the rule of three is engaged” I learn from you, you learn from me, we learn from each other and I teach you, you teach me and we teach each other.  We can establish an environment in the workplace so a motivated team can thrive and where they can be innovative, feel empowered, feel valued, and demonstrate rigor through teamwork while at the same time having fun as a member of a team.