Crossland Academy has been named a 2026 Construction Industry Workforce Development Award winner by The Construction Users Roundtable (CURT), recognizing Crossland’s commitment to recruiting, training, and developing the next generation of construction professionals.
The award was presented October 6 at CURT’s 2026 Awards of Excellence Celebration in Charlotte, North Carolina.
For Crossland, the award recognizes something we have long believed. That a strong workforce does not happen by accident. You have to build it.
A National Recognition For Workforce Development
CURT’s Construction Industry Workforce Development Awards recognize organizations that demonstrate extraordinary and innovative approaches to construction recruitment, education, and training.
Crossland Academy was selected alongside workforce programs from across the construction industry.
We’re proud of the recognition, but what matters most is what Crossland Academy makes possible: giving people a way into the industry, helping them grow their skills, and creating real opportunities to build a career at Crossland.
Building Careers, Not Just Filling Positions
Workforce development has been part of Crossland’s culture for decades. As the company has grown, that commitment has become more structured and more intentional.
Today, Crossland Academy connects programs across nearly every stage of a construction career, from someone’s first exposure to the industry through advanced leadership development. The goal is not simply to train someone for the job they have today.
We want employees to know where they can go next and have the tools to get there.
Starting The Career Path Early
For many future employees, that journey begins before they ever work full time for Crossland.
Kickstart introduces high school students and recent graduates to construction through hands-on experience and exposure to real career opportunities.
Our college internship program gives students meaningful project experience, responsibility, and direct mentorship from experienced builders.
For those pursuing skilled-trade careers, Crossland’s NCCER Apprenticeship Program combines classroom learning with practical field experience.
These programs allow young people to experience construction firsthand and see that there is more than one path to a successful career.
Development Continues After Day One
Learning does not stop when someone becomes a full-time employee.
Crossland Academy includes programs such as Jumpstart, Critical Path, Red Iron Ready, Emerging Leaders, PM Academy, Superintendent Academy, and additional leadership development opportunities.
Each program serves a different stage of an employee’s career.
Together, they create connected pathways for craft professionals, field employees, project teams, and future leaders.
Crossland Academy By The Numbers
The reach of Crossland Academy continues to grow with our company.
Just in the past year:
- 50 apprentices graduated and earned NCCER certification.
- More than 200 college interns gained hands-on experience with Crossland.
- More than 100 high school and Kickstart participants were introduced to construction careers.
- 187 employees were promoted internally or advanced into expanded field, operational, or management responsibilities.
Those numbers show just how many people Crossland Academy is reaching.
But the most important result is simpler: employees can see a future for themselves at Crossland.
There Is More Than One Way to Become a Leader
Great construction leaders do not all come from the same background.
Some Crossland employees begin as interns or field engineers. Others start as laborers, operators, carpenters, ironworkers, or apprentices. Some earn four-year degrees. Others develop their expertise through years of hands-on experience in the field.
Crossland Academy is designed to create opportunity across those different paths.
Red Iron Ready is one example.
The program identifies high-potential hourly field employees who demonstrate leadership ability, work ethic, sound judgment, and a commitment to Crossland’s values.
Participants receive additional development in construction operations, safety, production, communication, management, and leadership as they prepare for future Assistant Superintendent and Craft Superintendent opportunities.
The idea behind the program is straightforward: Leadership potential can be found throughout the organization.
Training Built By Builders
One of the things that makes Crossland Academy different is who does the teaching.
Our workforce development programs are not created separately from the work happening on our jobsites. Experienced superintendents, project managers, craft leaders, operational leaders, and executives help develop curriculum, teach classes, mentor employees, and share lessons learned from real projects.
That keeps training practical and connected to the challenges our teams face every day.
Employees learn about safety, scheduling, production, communication, problem solving, accountability, leadership, and construction operations from people who have lived those experiences themselves.
It also reinforces an important part of our culture:
- Developing people is not one department’s responsibility. It belongs to all of us.
- Taking Responsibility for the Workforce Challenge
Like much of the construction industry, Crossland sees the continued need for skilled craft professionals, project managers, superintendents, and future leaders.
Our approach has been to take an active role in developing them. That means introducing students to construction earlier.
- It means showing young people and their families that successful careers can follow many different paths.
- It means investing in apprenticeship and craft training.
- It means continuing to develop employees long after they are hired.
- And it means asking experienced builders to pass their knowledge to the people coming behind them.
Why Workforce Development Matters To Our Business
Investing in people creates opportunity for employees, but it also makes Crossland a stronger builder. Developing talent internally creates a deeper bench of experienced employees and future leaders. It strengthens consistency in safety, quality, communication, accountability, and project execution. It also helps protect Crossland’s culture as we continue to grow into new markets and take on larger, increasingly complex projects.
Growth requires capable people who are ready for the next opportunity.
Our job is to help prepare them for it.
Building The Next Generation Of Builders
Nearly 50 years ago, Crossland began with one builder willing to work hard, learn, and create an opportunity for his family.
Today, that idea operates on a much larger scale, but the foundation has not changed.
- We believe people deserve the opportunity to learn.
- We believe experienced builders have a responsibility to teach.
- We believe leadership can come from anywhere in the organization.
- And we believe investing in people is one of the best investments we can make in the future of Crossland and the construction industry.
Receiving the 2026 CURT Construction Industry Workforce Development Award is an important recognition of that commitment.
More importantly, it recognizes the employees, instructors, mentors, operational leaders, and participants who bring Crossland Academy to life every day.
We are proud of the award.
We are even more proud of the builders it represents.
Congratulations to everyone who has had a hand in making Crossland Academy what it is today and creating opportunities for our people to learn, grow, and build their careers.
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