NCCER Launches Research Department and Names its Director

NCCER, Alachua, Florida, has appointed Tim Taylor as director of research.

Taylor, a professional engineer and PhD, leads NCCER’s newly established research department, which aims to establish NCCER as the leading source for research on the industry workforce and to bring more prestige to construction craft careers.

Taylor’s previous experience working alongside NCCER makes him particularly well suited to launch the new department.

Taylor had a leadership role in the industry-driven research team spearheaded by NCCER and the Construction Industry Institute. That effort resulted in the publishing of “Restoring the Dignity of Work: Transforming the U.S. Workforce Development System into a World Leader.”

In addition, he has presented the policies advocated in that document at various conferences.

“We are extremely excited to have a long-term friend on board to drive us in the research arena and to truly help NCCER continue its mission of improving the workforce development issues that face the construction industry,” said NCCER President and CEO Boyd Worsham.

Most recently, Taylor was the chair of Construction Engineering and Project Management in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Kentucky. There, he led more than $2.8 million in research from funding agencies and won research awards such at the Best Paper for “Young Talent Motivations to Pursue Craft Careers in Construction” from the American Society of Civil Engineers.

In addition to academia, he has extensive industry experience. He started his career in the industry at R.B. Taylor & Sons, his family’s business dating to the 1930s. At Luminant, formerly TXU Mining Company, Taylor worked in several positions, including construction engineer.

This new role and department added to NCCER is essential to its mission to build a safe, productive and sustainable workforce of craft professionals as well as expanding its comprehensive workforce development system and curricula selection.