Speaking of school ties, this week we dropped in on Skanska's BOOST program for subcontractors and sat in on a class led by Skanska Northwest Diversity Manager Mel Jones. Mel likens the BOOST program to being trained to be a Nordstrom buyer -- you learn what your company wants and how to provide it (appreciation for shoes is extra credit). While the first four weeks of "Skanska school" are about subs chasing the job, this week's course was about getting paid on time, a subject which held every pupil rapt.

Above, Skanska presenters Chip Smith, Mel, XXX andMary Brown. Some of the 30 or so in the class have worked as Skanska subs before, while others hope to in the future. Though no grades are given, Skanska does take note of who shows up to classes on time and who participates. "It's not A, B or C, but red, yellow or green," Mel tells us. "And with the greens, we want to bring them to the table."