Meet The Pro: Thane Johnson, Assistant Superintendent
By Arkansas Next on Friday, October 10, 2025
Hometown: Greenbrier
Age: 22
Higher Education: Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Business at the University of Arkansas
Where I Trained: Construction management classes at North Arkansas College
Job Title: Assistant Superintendent
Employer: Kinco Constructors
In high school, Thane Johnson balanced odd jobs, played sports and joined clubs like FFA. Despite his busy schedule, he was unsure about his future until he took a career aptitude test. One result repeatedly appeared: construction management. Curious, Thane contacted a family friend working at Kinco Constructors and asked to shadow them. That choice set him on a new path.
After experiencing the daily responsibilities and environment firsthand on a job site, Thane was almost immediately attracted. He spent three summers working at Kinco Constructors during college, gaining practical experience that gave him a significant advantage after graduation. Not only did it help him earn more than a typical entry-level worker, but it also opened doors for faster career advancement.
Now working as an assistant superintendent at Kinco Constructors, Thane’s responsibilities include conducting safety inspections, writing daily reports on job progress and enforcing the company’s safety standards.
He noted that communication is one of the most important skills he needs to do his job well. “Whether it be subcontractors, owners, or my coworkers, communicating between all of them is a big part of my day-to-day responsibilities as well,” Thane said. “Keeping subcontractors, owners and yourself all on the same page is important.”
Some of the best parts of Thane’s career is seeing daily progress, job security, learning new skills daily and rarely sitting still. “I enjoy being able to move throughout the day, I don’t like to sit down for too long,” Thane said.
He’s especially grateful for the early opportunity to work at Kinco Constructors and encourages students to explore similar hands-on experiences in fields they’re interested in. “The more you can learn about a career you’re interested in, the better,” Thane said. “You don’t have to have it all figured out right now, but it doesn’t hurt to explore your options.”
MORE ABOUT THE JOB
Education Needed:
High school diploma or GED
You'll Be Great At This Job Too If...
- Tend to take on leadership roles in class group projects
- Are detail oriented
- Take meticulous notes during class
- Can’t enjoy after-school fun until homework is done
Related Jobs:
Government Property Inspectors and Investigators
Bachelor's Degree | $124,840
Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors
High School Diploma Or Ged | $117,190
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
High School Diploma Or Ged | $94,330
Do You Have What it Takes?
Check off the experience you already have...
► Critical Thinker (thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem)
► Time Management (managing your time efficiently)
► Management (understand how to delegate tasks to others)
► Meticulous Note-taker (detail-oriented notes)
High-end earners (top 10%) make
$85,150 Annual
Median wages in Arkansas (top 50%)
$52,970 Annual
Sources: careeronestop.org for Construction and Building Inspectors in Arkansas
WHERE TO LEARN
- Arkansas Army National Guard
- Arkansas Northeastern College
- Arkansas State University Three Rivers
- Arkansas State University-Beebe
- Lexicon, Inc.
- NorthWest Arkansas Community College
- Northwest Technical Institute (NWTI)
- Thompson Electric Training Institute
- University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville
- University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton
- University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College
- University of Arkansas-East Arkansas Community College
- W&W|AFCO Steel
WHERE TO WORK
- Arkansas Army National Guard
- Arkansas State University-Beebe
- Lexicon, Inc.
- Multi-Craft Contractors, Inc.
- W&W|AFCO Steel
Sources: careeronestop.org
