BUILDING THE ROAD TO SUCCESS
A company that specializes in building roads, highways and bridges could put you on a great career path.
SWEETSER CONSTRUCTION has been helping build Northwest Arkansas for more than 60 years. The business specializes in infrastructure work including, building highways, bridges and roads, land clearing and grading, water and sewer, paving, and drainage work. Chances are you’ re familiar with the company’ s work if you’ ve ever driven on parts of Don Tyson Parkway and Elm Springs Road in Springdale, or Razorback Road in Fayetteville.
The family-owned company was founded in 1955 by father-son team Jerry D. and Jack Sweetser. The pair specialized in commercial and residential construction. Current owner Billy Sweetser bought the company from his father, Jerry, in 2010. Today, Sweetser Construction is dedicated to providing quality infrastructure construction services to all of Northwest Arkansas. The company has won several awards for the quality of its work.
Sweetser Construction employs about 65 people in more than half a dozen different types of jobs. You’ ll find heavy equipment operators, concrete finishers, utility workers, dump truck drivers, diesel mechanics, estimators and even accountants among the many team members.
“ We need field employees,” Sweetser explains.“ We often have trouble finding people with the skills to fill those positions.” That’ s why the company will help new employees who are starting out learn what they need to know.“ New employees can learn on the job for most positions,” Sweetser says. The company also offers summer apprenticeship programs for field crew members who may still be in school.
Some positions at Sweetser Construction require technical certifications. For example, a diesel mechanic needs to be certified in heavy equipment maintenance. Dump truck drivers need a Class B commercial driver’ s license and at least six months of construction work experience. You can earn certifications by taking classes at a technical school. No matter what kind of job you have at Sweetser Construction, you must be dependable, have a positive attitude, good work ethic and be able to follow instructions.
70 | SPRINGDALE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE