Best and brightest.

Obtaining the necessary degrees, licenses and/or certifications to be an engineer or an architect takes several years and culminates in a continuing education process that lasts as long as one chooses to stay in that vocation.

Many respected colleges and universities offer degrees in architecture and engineering, and holders of these degrees rightly consider themselves to be professionals in a career that requires diligence and dedication.

Less appreciated, perhaps, is the path taken by entrepreneurs and tradespeople who embark on careers as contractors. The training and education received by contractors and subcontractors most likely does not begin at an Ivy League school, but the amount of time put in can be considerable, and the need for continuing education is just as crucial.

The thinking, planning and decision-making aspects of the contractor trades often go unobserved by the general public. Motorists passing a construction site see the heavy equipment and the I-beams in motion (or the piles of rubble in the case of demolition sites). What they don't see is the time spent cost estimating, poring over proposals and contracts, scheduling personnel, communicating with subcontractors, procuring heavy equipment, ensuring compliance with safety and health regulations and doing everything else it takes to complete a job safely, on time and at budget.

The demolition sector is no exception. The planning that takes place away from the jobsite is more crucial than it has ever been, which is one reason the National Demolition Association offers incentives to interested students such as a $20 student membership rate; assistance in their demolition industry employment search; free registration at the association's Annual Safety Summit; and a list of association member companies that are interested in discussing internship, co-op or summer job opportunities in the industry.

Says the association on its Web site, "The National Demolition Association is committed to attracting the finest young minds to our exciting industry."

This viewpoint extends to the recycling industry as well, where entrepreneurs have also played a key role in taking on challenges and risks--often with rewarding results.

More problematic is making sure there are enough managers, supervisors and other planning personnel on board who can help small recycling companies address the current challenges while maintaining enough brain power to figure out what challenges might lie ahead.

Most entrepreneurs reading this publication whether contractors, recyclers or some combination of the two--don't like to pass up on opportunities. But a lack of depth, talent or knowledge within the workforce can force that very circumstance to occur.