The Korellis Training Center has long been a point of pride for the building contractor. It is a dedicated facility where all the Korellis roofers, carpenters, and other tradespeople can practice their craft under expert guidance – improving the quality of their work and making every day on a job site safer.
Just over a month ago, Korellis took a major step to further improve the effectiveness of its Training Center by installing Veteran Carpenter, Appraiser, and Project Manager John Zamojski as its Quality and Training Manager. A Korellis employee since 2014, Zamojski plans to do everything he can to elevate Korellis’ work to an even higher level.
“The biggest change we’re making is focusing my role on quality control, and it isn’t going to be strictly field-oriented,” he said. “Whether it’s computer programs, communication skills, or whatever else – I want to bring the company forward.”
Korellis’ tradespeople work in a wide variety of fields from carpentry – Zamojski’s primary area of expertise – to masonry and sheet metal. Providing comprehensive quality control means learning the ins and outs of everything Korellis does so he can locate areas of repeated deficiency and craft a training regimen to resolve it.
“Every day I’ll be going out to two or three job sites and spending some time there, checking the quality of the work, and seeing if there’s any immediate training I can provide,” he said. “After that, it’s a matter of scrolling through daily photos from every job and looking for things that jump out. I collect everything I learned that day and put together a plan for what training I need to do going forward.”
The quality standards at Korellis are already exceptionally high – something that has earned the company authorization to work in highly specialized industries, such as the Department of Energy’s Nuclear Weapons Processing Centers. Yet there is always room for improvement, and Zamojski’s job is to find and fill those narrow gaps.
“There are occasions where work might not necessarily be a problem, but it doesn’t quite meet something like the manufacturer’s warranty, so we have to go back and touch it up,” he said. “We want to get that rework under control, so I need to identify those deficiencies and set up some regular training schedules to resolve them. That’s the immediate goal for myself and for Korellis.”
Zamojski noted that one of the biggest advantages of the position is that he can help Korellis work as a more united front.
“A lot of times, things can become compartmentalized. This person oversees one department, that person oversees another department, or even individuals overseeing this job or that job,” he said. “That’s why this role is so important. We could have 20 projects going every single day, and each project manager is dealing with their own, so they can’t see the trends. If you don’t have someone keeping you on the same page, moving towards one goal, you’ll always have gaps.”
While he is still settling in and continuing to learn, Zamojski is embracing the position and is eager to see what strides Korellis can take.
“I’m super excited and really enjoying this opportunity,” he said. “I’ve still got things to learn, but I’m truly thrilled to have an opportunity to make a difference. I think I have a lot to offer. The growth of Korellis is going to depend on efficiency and getting people more skilled, and that’s found in training. Everybody’s happier with their job and attitudes become more positive when everyone is given the tools to truly excel.”
