Construction is one of the largest industries in the United States. The building environment-houses, highways, schools, wastewater treatment plants, hospitals, office buildings-is everywhere you look. People are needed to design, build, and supervise construction projects. The construction industry offers many rewarding careers. Training for the construction industry is now available through a WETF grant to the Associated General contractors of Vermont.
Construction might be just right for you... you might be just right for construction.
"Just over 5 years into an ambitious Workforce and Safety training program, we already have over 7,500 training completions, with another 2,000 students expected over the next year said Michael McLaughlin President of AGC/VT "Contractors of Vermont have embraced classes, demonstrating the vitality of the industry. and the employees' fierce desire to learn. We're so encouraged by the success thus far that we hope to step up recruiting efforts and expand into supervisory training as well."
The AGC/VT workforce training initiative was conceived and developed by a group of contractors in response to the need for a more highly trained workforce in today's competitive construction market.
AGC/VT's Northeast Regional Training Center in Montpelier (NERSA) is one of the most unusual facilities of its type in New England, with more than 10,000 square feet of training space filled with all kinds of safety apparatus and equipment. Dedicated on February 11, 2003, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Vermont Governor Jim Douglas, the facility can provide safety and skills training in many activities such as heavy equipment operations, blueprint reading, metal framing, confined space rescue, concrete and masonry skills, electrical safety, fire responder, emergency management, respiratory protection, and power and hydraulic tool training to name a few.
Classes sponsored by AGC/VT for its members and non-members cover a broad range of topics that can be customized for individual companies. 'This unique initiative is bringing together numerous government agencies, community and trade organizations, academic institutions and the business community to give up to 2,000 people the skills needed for rewarding, long-term careers in construction," said Don Wells chairman and CEO of DEW, Inc. and chairman of the AGO VT Workforce Development committee. "The graduates are already becoming strong contributors to the states construction efforts and infrastructure development projects."
Participants enroll in training that provides them with the necessary skills for both entry-level jobs and advancement in the construction industry. Training is provided through partnerships with local and national training partners and with critical funding on both the federal and state levels.
AGC/VT Construction Career Goals
* Increased awareness of AGC/VT Member companies as a career destination for the future workforce
* Increase the amount of employees entering and advancing in our industry's workforce
* Provide a greater pool of potential workers to the industry's future workforce
* Raise the awareness of the industry's careers amongst teachers, parents and counselors to increase the likelihood they promote such careers to students and/or support students decisions to pursue such a career.
Students: a) have an opportunity to match a field with skills they possess, b) who don't otherwise identify with "main-stream" classes are introduced to an option
Industry: a) have an educated workforce at their disposal; b) continue to reap the benefits of a state that can manufacture, service and support, and operate construction tools and equipment.
Example of AGC/VT Safety and Skills Offerings:
Installing Commercial Doors, Installing Commercial Windows, Foam Wall Installation, Block Framing, Metal Stud Framing, Blueprint Reading: Beginner & Advanced, Intro to Commercial Carpentry, Lines, Levels and Layouts, Construction Soft Skills, Fall arrest systems, OSHA Construction Competency, Emergency Management, Traffic Technician, Traffic Control supervisor, Confined Space Entry, Heavy Equipment Operations, Electrical safety, Soil Mechanicals, MSHA Refresher.
AGC Supervisory Training
The knowledge and expertise needed to effectively manage people, time, equipment and materials are critical skills all successful supervisors must have. AGC's Supervisory Training Program (STP) is a professional development resource that builds the construction leader of tomorrow. Each course is created, updated and field-tested by top contractors based on real life experiences.
The 12 STP courses are:
Unit 1. Leadership and Motivation
Unit 2: Oral and Written Communication
Unit 3: Problem Solving and Decision Making
Unit 4: Contract Documents and Construction Law
Unit 5: Planning and Scheduling
Unit 6: Understanding and Managing Project Costs
Unit 7: Accident Prevention and Loss Control
Unit 8: Managing the Project - The Supervisor's Role
Unit 9: Productivity Improvement
Unit 10: General and specialty
Contractor Dynamics, Construction Supervisor Overview, Heavy/Highway Construction Supervisor Overview
148 State Street
Montpelier, VT
802-223-2374
Fax: 802-223-1809
agcvt.org
e-mail: info@agcvt.org
For more information contact:
Tracy Delude, Safety Training
safety@agcvt.org
Beth Hulbert, Skills Training
skills @agcvt.org
Source: Vermont Business Magazine
