Masonry Magazine May 2001 Page. 17
the entire industry working together and supporting these efforts on a local level, and MCAA's efforts on a national level, we can overcome our recruitment woes.
Dentsville, Alabama
David Amilledge, masonry instructor for Ingram State Technical College, reports that their program has existed at least 25 years. They currently have 16 students ranging in age from 17 to 41. This particular masonry program was set up to give incarcerated individuals the opportunity to learn a trade that can upgrade their standard of living once they are released.
Eufala, Alabama
The masonry program at Wallace Community College's Sparks Campus has been in existence since 1966. Mr. C.W. Bynum, masonry instructor, has an average of 12 students in the program each semester. Students in the program have the opportunity to practice their classroom skills by participating in live-work projects for non-profit organizations in the community. Since 1988, several WCC masonry students have placed in the top 10 at the National Skills USA - VICA masonry competition and in 1977, Jeff Bynum took first-place honors there.
Greensboro, Alabama
The Hale County Technology Center in Greensboro, AL can accommodate seven different career/technical programs and serves a maximum of 330 to 425 students from five local high schools. According to Milton H. Young, masonry instructor, the instructional programs are designed to provide and allow for specialized training and assistance for advancement in a specific occupational field. Students in the masonry program participate in a variety of activities from individual projects to group projects. Live-work is done in the local area to give students the best possible methods of instruction.
Jacksonville, Alabama
According to Jerry Sims, masonry instructor at Calhoun County Career Tech Center, this high school program generally teaches 18 to 25 students from 9 different feeder schools each year. The program consists of training with brick, block and poured concrete and is mostly hands-on training. They have completed several projects on the campus from pouring sidewalks and concrete floors to building retaining walls, storage buildings and planters. Since there is no local apprenticeship program, most masonry students at this school go right to work for a small, local mason contractor after graduation.
Lafayette, Alabama
Buddy Combs, masonry instructor at Chambers County Career Technical Center, reports that their 23-year-old masonry program currently has 13 students. These students come from two local feeder schools. Real world experience is obtained by doing projects for the local Board of Education. They have built a flowerbed using 12" block to grade and then laid an 8" brick wall with a 4" grouted cavity. They laid garden walls using pierce walls and dogs tooth and they laid an 8" composite wall to hide dumpsters.
In 1992, the U.S. Department of Labor projected that by the year 2005, the entire construction industry will face a shortage of one million skilled workers.
Fontana, California
Masonry instructor Bob Freeman stated that his school, A.B. Miller High School, has four masonry-related programs: Masonry I, Masonry II, R.O.P. Pre-apprenticeship Masonry and Mason Tending, with a total of about 110 students per semester. Students at A.B. Miller can compete in two contests per year. The first contest is a Top Trowel Contest where students compete against five other schools to build a straight lead, corner lead, sample panel and 8 ft. long wall, 4 ft. high. The other contest is the Fastest Trowel on Campus where students compete with their peers on campus for bragging rights and plaques. At the end of each year, R.O.P and Masonry II students show off their skills by building a barbecue area with tables, fountains, perimeter walls, arches and a soda bar.
Calhoun, Georgia
Masonry students at Calhoun High School recently got a very unique experience. They, along with students in other trade programs at the school, built an entire house. The Pioneer Project Home contained approximately 12,000 brick and included a brick fireplace. This project gave the local school a lot of press and recognition. Other real-life projects completed by students have been planters, benches and brick paver walkways and park areas. The masonry instructor at Calhoun High School is Charley G. Chadwick.
Elberton, Georgia
The construction classes at Elbert County Comprehensive High School, under the instruction of Larry Brady, recently participated in a "live work" project working on a house for Habitat for Humanity. Approximately 12 students worked on the project daily for 3-4 weeks during their class time. The group laid approximately 600 CMU's for the foundation of the house. This project gave the students a sense of live work with a large-scale step-footing foundation.
Chicago, Illinois
Chris Laughlin of Bricklayers Local 21 of Illinois reports that their apprenticeship classes generally have 20 to 24 students per session, training a total of 65 to 90 apprentices per year. The program was started in 1963 and is currently taught by Bob Arnold and Mike Koch. Bricklayers Local #21 solicits non-profit organizations for projects. This enables the students to learn from on-the-job training the correct way to build. During March, 2000, the instructors and apprentices helped build a children's playground for Seguin Services, a not-for-profit agency that offers programs for children and adults with disabilities.
Chicago, Illinois
Dunbar Vocational Career Academy, located in the inner city of Chicago, Illinois, has been involved in masonry training since 1945. The masonry program has an average of 80 to 90 students each year. According to instructor Eddie Gordon III, their program is methodized to include many of the innovations of the trade including the tools, machinery, safety equipment and materials. "Live work" activities are planned each year to give the students practical experience and to prepare them for a career.