By Carole Hawkins, Staff Writer
With the rebound of real estate markets, demand for construction workers has picked up as well and local training programs will soon feel the pressure.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, construction trade jobs over the next decade are expected to grow faster than the rest of the job market — projected at 11 percent growth. Jobs for electricians are expected to grow 20 percent, plumbers by 21 percent, carpenters by 24 percent, and HVAC technicians 21 percent.
NEFBA’s goal is to double the number of people it trains in 2015, up to 200, said the program’s director Penelope Geismar.
Training programs in Northeast Florida generally fall into three categories, apprenticeship programs, public college technical courses, and for-profit college programs.
Boyd Worsham, NEFBA Apprenticeship Training board member and vice president at The Haskell Co., said the strength of NEFBA’s training program is the fact that it is the only true open shop craft apprenticeship program in the area. Students receive classroom instruction, on-the-job training and an hourly wage.
Tuition is paid for by NEFBA-member employers.
“I’m not going to knock other programs out there, but the work experience part of this training is huge,” Worsham said. “It’s not just about the trade. It’s about learning to work with others on a team and contribute to the construction process.”
Students must be employed by a NEFBA member company or receive employer placement with NEFBA assistance in order to remain in the program.
For students wbho don’t have construction jobs, technical courses at local colleges provide an alternative.
Mike Medders, who runs construction training for Florida State College at Jacksonville, said most students in his programs already have some work experience and are trying to get some formal training.
“Our biggest draw is we train students at a quarter of the cost of the for-profit private schools,” he said.
Students who attend full time can finish FSCJ’s carpentry, electrical, HVAC or welding programs within a year, he said.