Masonry Magazine April 1992 Page. 19
Laborers/AGC Launch New Skills Training Program
A $1.1-million grant from the U.S. Department of Education will be used to test a training program for laborers in construction skills, such as mason tending and concrete.
Laborers-AGC Education and Training Fund received official notification from the Department of Education last October of a grant for $1.2-million to be used to train laborers in construction skills, such as mason tending, concrete, pipelaying, asphalt and foreman preparedness. The program will pilot test a new training structure and the effectiveness of a regional training system. According to Laborers-AGC project director John Tippie, "The grant is designed to be a demonstration project that will accomplish several goals. The first of these is the implementation of structured training approaches that will provide clear and attainable career paths for all construction laborers. Other project goals include a comparison of regional based training versus mobile training and an increased working relationship with continuing education institutions, such as vocational technical centers and community colleges."
The implementation of a structured approach to training will begin with the design of two new courses. An "industry orientation course" will be designed to introduce new laborers to the career paths available as a laborer and to instruct them on the workings of the construction industry. A "general construction course" will begin the structured training by including topics that every laborer should know regardless of the specialty they wish to follow.
According to Tippie "every laborer should have training in several construction skill areas that will benefit them in any portion of our industry. Not only will they improve their employability but they will have the basics needed to pursue further training in as many specialty areas as they wish."
Laborers-AGC will also coordinate the courses with the higher education institutions to help members earn college credits to be applied to degree programs.
Members of the National Program Advisory Committee are George A. Miller, MCAA; Alan Sponaugle, West Virginia Department of Vocational Education; Sam Fresina, Laborers AGC Education and Training Fund; Ivan J. Opperman, Seedorf Masonry Incorporated; Carl Horstrup, Lane Community College, Industrial Tech
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MASONRY-MARCH/APRIL, 1992 19