You Did It, Graduates! Here’s to Your Next Adventure!
Today, six students graduated in ‘construction and safety’ training delivered by ReSource, at its South End Joinery on Pine Street. All students received their construction and safety training certificates. Next week, students move on to take up two-week work experiences with companies such as Vermont Mechanical, Yellow Dog, Cathedral Square, CVOEO and PC Construction. Launched in 2018, with an initial grant from the Vermont Department of Labor, this construction and safety training program has since been supported by the City of Burlington/Community and Economic Development Office (CEDO) and close to sixty students have graduated from the training program.
In a partnership between CEDO and ReSOURCE, the Construction and Safety Training Program seeks to increase skills, knowledge, and employability of persons from targeted population groups (e.g. unemployed, underemployed, low-income, BIPOC, women, immigrant and refugees). With strong employability and life skills, these individuals will have access to high quality jobs in the construction industry. Trainees attend ReSOURCE’s Construction 101 course, which provides hands-on instruction, certification, and job placement!
History
In 2018, the Construction and Safety Training program was launched with a competitive grant which CEDO was awarded from the Vermont Department of Labor. Since then, the training program has been supported with CDBG funding from the City of Burlington. ReSOURCE, a leading provider of job skills training programs, implements the Construction and Safety Training program at its South End Joinery on Pine Street. To date, 42 participants have received training in Construction and Safety. Program participants partake in the intensive Construction 101 course over the course of 4 weeks, as opposed to the traditional 9 month or one-year program. Participants get trained quickly to enter the job market, earn livable wage jobs and help meet the shortage of workers in the construction industry. Successful trainees earn two certifications – National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) and OSHA 10 safety.
Outcomes
The Construction and Safety Program is focused on training people who are unemployed, underemployed, low-income, BIPOC, women, immigrants and refugees. Of the 42 persons who completed the program, ~50% of participants identify as BIPOC, including immigrants and refugees. Participants in the program have included ex-offenders, women, those with disabilities, and at-risk youth. More than 85% were unemployed or under-employed when they entered the program.
Within 6 months of completing this program,
- Approximately 75% of those trained were employed.
- All trainees received the OSHA 10 certification.
Successful graduates have earned higher, livable wages post-graduation and have been found employed in construction companies like Polli Construction, VT Mechanical, and Skada Builders among other construction companies.
Applications are now open! Apply for the February 13th Cohort here:
Are you interested in learning more? Contact:
Gillian Nanton, Associate Director of Community Engagement, Neighborhoods & Workforce Development, gnanton@burlingtonvt.gov
Maggie Robinson, ReSOURCE Vermont, mrobinson@resourcevt.org
