In October 2022, excavation commenced to make way for a 100,000-square-foot prefabrication facility and a 90,000-square-foot office building at Alterman Inc.’s new headquarters in Live Oak, Texas.

Well before the 4-cubic-yard Caterpillar excavators, loaders, blades, rollers and offload dump trucks began moving earth at the 20-acre campus, Greg Padalecki, president and CEO of Alterman, and other company executives recognized an amazing opportunity.

Aiming to build goodwill within the local community, Alterman hosted 150 preschoolers and elementary school students accompanied by their parents at a Saturday morning event called Kidstruction Dig Day. The most memorable moment for Padalecki, the father of a 2-year-old, was seeing children digging with Tonka toys in a safe area while heavy equipment worked steadily nearby.

“I saw all the kids playing and having so much fun, and thought we could be looking at future employees,” Padalecki said. “Some of the heavy equipment operators honked their horns and gave big fist pumps, which the kids just loved.”

Several youngsters were related to Alterman employees, but others hailed from a neighboring elementary school.

Alterman frequently supports local JATC efforts to attract apprentices to the electrical field by participating in job fairs and high school events, but Padalecki said this effort was different.

“We wanted to introduce children to the construction industry at an earlier age and in a more general sense,” Padalecki said. “We also wanted to let parents know there are some great career opportunities right here in their community. Our reasoning was, if you have a kid who says, ‘I want to build things,’ where to you take them to light that spark? We wanted to provide that inspiration.”

Established in San Antonio in 1923 by Nathan Alterman, who purchased an existing company, the nearly 100-year-old firm performs the full scope of electrical services for commercial and industrial clients. Over the years, operations have expanded throughout Texas, and services now include installation of low-voltage technologies and system automation.

The first Kidstruction event was so well-received, Alterman is planning additional kid-friendly events related to the stages of campus construction—Concrete Pour Day and Crane Day.

In hosting the events, Alterman is partnering with other contractors, architects, developers and financial institutions with whom it has developed strong relationships. One of those partners is the Whiting-Turning Contracting Co., general contractor for the new Alterman campus.

A representative from Whiting-Turner said, “Many of us have small children who are obsessed with all things related to construction, especially big construction vehicles. Yet, as industry professionals, we tend to get so tied up in day-to-day operations that we miss opportunities to showcase our work to those most fascinated with the industry. The similar family-oriented cultures of Whiting-Turner Contracting Co. and Alterman make this project the perfect opportunity to introduce the next generation of builders to the most exciting facets of construction.”

Slated to open in January 2024, the new headquarters is situated at a high-traffic location, the junction of highways I-35 and Loop-1604.

“We want people to drive by and say that’s where I want to work, and to have another reason to stay in the area,” Padalecki said.

To see a video of Kidstruction Dig Day, visit https://youtu.be/waLhkGb2q9k

Header image: Children play with Tonka toys at Alterman Inc.’s Kidstruction Dig Day in October. Photos provided by Alterman.