Last year, the NEFBA Apprenticeship Program faced the challenge of finding new space for classrooms for its construction trades training programs in carpentry, electrical, plumbing and heating/air-conditioning.
The challenge was met by partnering with Keiser University Jacksonville. The major move was accomplished without interruption in training.
“It seemed to be the right thing to do when NEFBA approached us about using space at our campus for its evening classes,” said Keiser Jacksonville Campus President Lisamarie Winslow.
“While we normally focus on degree-seeking students working toward a new career or an advanced position in their current field, it appeared to be a great opportunity to demonstrate our vision and philosophy by helping our community as a whole become better trained and educated,” she said.
In addition to being centrally located and providing a professional training atmosphere for the program’s apprentices, the move to Keiser’s Jacksonville campus on the Southside had other benefits.
“This year, Keiser nominated the partnership with NEFBA’s Apprenticeship Program for an Innovator in Education award and we were selected in the category of Education Partnerships,” said Keith Ward, NEFBA’s training vice president and president of Thomas May Construction.
“Our program has been around since 1972 and we are now enjoying a period of new growth, partly due to the increasing demand for new homes and partly due to the need for training and education programs,” Ward said. “Our partnership with Keiser has given us a much-needed boost in the right direction.”
Each year, the Jacksonville Business Journal honors some of those who have helped the most to make education in the area innovative and impactful.
According to the Business Journal, “Helping to shape the educational landscape on the First Coast is vital for the business community, with efforts to improve the education sector and help students across the region.”
Keiser has been instrumental in forging this new partnership.
“We at Keiser University were very proud and excited to nominate our partner, NEFBA, as an Innovator in Education,” said Cari Andreani, Keiser University’s director of student services.
“Our partnership is truly innovative in helping the Jacksonville community by improving education and clearly having a positive impact on lives in the Jacksonville community, young and old.
“And, we are so excited our relationship with NEFBA is being recognized. We are honored to partner with NEFBA,” she said.
Holding classes on the Keiser University Jacksonville campus elevated the perception of the NEFBA program in the eyes of the community and the students themselves.
The same high expectations Keiser University has for its students were applied to the apprentice population.
Simple changes that accompanied the move to the Keiser campus included requiring more professional attire and demeanor, being immersed in an education-focused environment; being part of a goal-oriented culture with a focus on academics.
Those changes immediately imparted a higher level of professionalism.
The NEFBA Apprenticeship Program has fostered a collaborative approach in education and career preparation since its inception.
Its success has depended on forming mutually beneficial partnerships with colleges and high schools to identify, train and educate, and prepare students to be productive employees and skilled craftsmen.
NEFBA’s recent partnership with Keiser University had an immediate, positive impact on the 44-year-old program.
Attending classes at Keiser has elevated the status of the construction trades as a career choice and enhanced the value of the training.
Keiser University is a regionally accredited, private, not-for-profit university in Florida offering career-focused undergraduate and graduate degrees on campus and online.
“Keiser has a strong reputation in Jacksonville and it stands out among area colleges as a leader when it comes to offering the most programs and specialized degrees,” Ward said.
“We believe our partnership with Keiser elevates our standards and provides an even broader base of career preparation for local students,” he said.
The award was presented by The Jacksonville Business Journal on May 5 at Jacksonville University.
Florida Sen. Aaron Bean was the keynote speaker.