Lee Mechanical Contractors Develops Skills from Within
Lee Mechanical Contractors has participated in the Missouri One Start Customized Training Program for about 10 years. The Park Hills company uses the program to strengthen technical and leadership skills across its workforce. Mineral Area College supports this work through instruction and apprenticeship development.
The Challenge
Lee Mechanical Contractors needs employees with specialized skills for industrial mechanical work and steel fabrication.
The company must prepare tradespeople in areas such as pipefitting, welding, and crane operation. It also needs supervisors, project managers, and future leaders who can guide teams and support company operations.
To meet those needs, Lee Mechanical focuses on developing current employees by expanding workers’ capabilities and preparing them for greater responsibility.
The Solution
Lee Mechanical Contractors used Missouri One Start funds to provide training and upskilling to 75 employees, including support for apprenticeships and leadership development.
Mineral Area College helped the company develop several apprenticeships registered with the U.S. Department of Labor. The most recent program focuses on structural fitting and welding for youth apprentices.
Because Missouri One Start funds allow for flexibility in how training is provided, employees received instruction through a combination of company programs, Mineral Area College, Associated Builders and Contractors, Cowboy Crane Services, and trusted industry providers.
Training covered the following:
- Hands-on trade skills
- Crane certification
- Pipefitting
- Welding
Another 73 employees completed a combination of training in the following:
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- Respirator
- Fall protection training
- Lockout/tagout
- Electrical safety training
Project managers, supervisors, and other employees in management roles participated in leadership and workplace skills courses.
The Results
Missouri One Start funding helped Lee Mechanical Contractors provide employees with skills used in the company’s daily work.
One employee completed the pipefitting apprenticeship and earned a Department of Labor (DOL) Certificate of Completion of Apprenticeship, while three additional employees advanced to their third year of the apprenticeship program.
These advancements give employees opportunities to build skills, earn higher wages, and receive additional paid time off.
Lee Mechanical Contractors also credits the program with helping the company strengthen its workforce and maintain its position in the industrial mechanical and steel fabrication industry.
The company has earned several awards for construction excellence, safety performance and workplace culture from organizations such as:
- Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC)
- National Safety Council (NSC)
- 2025 Excellence in Construction Award in the General Contractor Mechanical Commercial category from Associated Builders and Contractors
In Their Own Words
“Mineral Area College has been a great partner throughout the years. They have provided leadership and soft-skill courses for our supervisors and future leaders. They also have helped us develop numerous Department of Labor apprenticeship programs,” said Aaron Willard, human resource manager, training and development.
“The funding from Missouri One Start has provided Lee Mechanical the ability to train our workforce in the skill sets important in the everyday tasks of our business. It has established an opportunity for us to focus on growing our own people and their abilities.”
“This program is truly a benefit to help keep Lee Mechanical Contractors one of the industry leaders in the industrial mechanical and steel fabrication industry.
About Missouri One Start:
Customized Training Program participants must make a capital investment 5x greater than the reimbursement grant they receive.
Missouri One Start is a Division within the Department of Economic Development. Its training programs are customized to specific business needs, with flexibility in how training is delivered. Missouri One Start also provides support for interns, apprentices, and the earning of industry-recognized credentials under its upskilling programs. Eligibility criteria apply to all programs. To learn more, please visit the Training Programs Outline Page
