“SEAA is great resource of education, safety and steel industry trends."
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Tim Eldridge, Educational Services Unlimited, speaking at the industry roundtable discussion during the SEAA convention April 29, 2016. Workforce Development and Training Top Priority for Steel Erection Contractors During an industry roundtable discussion on April 29, 2016 at SEAA’s 44th Convention and Trade Show in Charlotte/Concord, N.C., SEAA members and NCCER representatives discussed challenges employers face with recruiting and training new workers. Dan Belcher, NCCER’s Director of Workforce Development, encouraged SEAA members to get involved in local and regional programs such as SkillsUSA competitions and October Careers in Construction events. “In 2015, 18 states recognized October as Careers in Construction month,” said Belcher. “Our goal this year is for all 50 states to do so.” Contractors are encouraged to write their state legislature to request their state’s participation. Create an account at Build Your Future to access resources to help you in contacting your state government. Meanwhile, the SEAA/NCCER Ironworker Craft Training Program, introduced in 2014, provides the curriculum for training and qualifying Ironworkers. Craft skills include ironworking, rebar, welding, rigging, signaling. “Training can be delivered via traditional classroom instruction, through self-study, and through distance learning tools, and includes journeyman assessments and performance verification,” said Tim Eldridge, SEAA’s Craft Training and Assessment Coordinator and President of Educational Services Unlimited. Currently about a dozen companies are SEAA/NCCER accredited training sponsors and/or assessment centers, with nearly 40 individuals across the country who are qualified as craft instructors/performance evaluators. Eldridge said: “Individual members are driving much of the Ironworker workforce development efforts, while SEAA is also working to build partnerships with secondary and post-secondary schools, economic development boards, state association boards, such as the Construction Education Foundation of Alabama, and SkillsUSA or Construction Career Day events.” SEAA continues to seek steel erection contractors who are interested in joining the nationwide training network. Future plans call for a SEAA/NCCER rigger and signal person endorsement, similar to the Ironworker program. In addition, research is currently being conducted on the demand for Spanish language materials. Take a survey regarding your company’s need for Ironworker training in Spanish. In related discussion, NCCER and Construction Users Roundtable have jointly developed a Contractors Workforce Development Assessment to help employers qualitatively measure their commitment to workforce development. The CWDA can help owners compare contractor craft training programs and provide a set of objective measures to improve what has traditionally been a subjective analysis. There are three categories of assessments: Construction Manager, Self-Performing General Contractor, and Subcontractor. Each assessment is designed to accurately measure a contractor's commitment to workforce development based on their type of business. Features include a non-biased third-party audit, an easy-to-read scorecard, and contractor control panel. In addition, this summer NCCER will launch a new certification for individuals whose profession is workforce development. This is a role that is becoming increasingly important within contractor organizations, explained Patty Bird, NCCER’s Workforce Development Senior Program Manager. The Construction Workforce Development Professional (CWFDP) will evaluate an individual’s skills and knowledge through an assessment process.
Tim Eldridge, Educational Services Unlimited, speaking at the industry roundtable discussion during the SEAA convention April 29, 2016.
Workforce Development and Training Top Priority for Steel Erection Contractors
During an industry roundtable discussion on April 29, 2016 at SEAA’s 44th Convention and Trade Show in Charlotte/Concord, N.C., SEAA members and NCCER representatives discussed challenges employers face with recruiting and training new workers. Dan Belcher, NCCER’s Director of Workforce Development, encouraged SEAA members to get involved in local and regional programs such as SkillsUSA competitions and October Careers in Construction events. “In 2015, 18 states recognized October as Careers in Construction month,” said Belcher. “Our goal this year is for all 50 states to do so.” Contractors are encouraged to write their state legislature to request their state’s participation. Create an account at Build Your Future to access resources to help you in contacting your state government. Meanwhile, the SEAA/NCCER Ironworker Craft Training Program, introduced in 2014, provides the curriculum for training and qualifying Ironworkers. Craft skills include ironworking, rebar, welding, rigging, signaling. “Training can be delivered via traditional classroom instruction, through self-study, and through distance learning tools, and includes journeyman assessments and performance verification,” said Tim Eldridge, SEAA’s Craft Training and Assessment Coordinator and President of Educational Services Unlimited. Currently about a dozen companies are SEAA/NCCER accredited training sponsors and/or assessment centers, with nearly 40 individuals across the country who are qualified as craft instructors/performance evaluators. Eldridge said: “Individual members are driving much of the Ironworker workforce development efforts, while SEAA is also working to build partnerships with secondary and post-secondary schools, economic development boards, state association boards, such as the Construction Education Foundation of Alabama, and SkillsUSA or Construction Career Day events.” SEAA continues to seek steel erection contractors who are interested in joining the nationwide training network. Future plans call for a SEAA/NCCER rigger and signal person endorsement, similar to the Ironworker program. In addition, research is currently being conducted on the demand for Spanish language materials. Take a survey regarding your company’s need for Ironworker training in Spanish. In related discussion, NCCER and Construction Users Roundtable have jointly developed a Contractors Workforce Development Assessment to help employers qualitatively measure their commitment to workforce development. The CWDA can help owners compare contractor craft training programs and provide a set of objective measures to improve what has traditionally been a subjective analysis. There are three categories of assessments: Construction Manager, Self-Performing General Contractor, and Subcontractor. Each assessment is designed to accurately measure a contractor's commitment to workforce development based on their type of business. Features include a non-biased third-party audit, an easy-to-read scorecard, and contractor control panel. In addition, this summer NCCER will launch a new certification for individuals whose profession is workforce development. This is a role that is becoming increasingly important within contractor organizations, explained Patty Bird, NCCER’s Workforce Development Senior Program Manager. The Construction Workforce Development Professional (CWFDP) will evaluate an individual’s skills and knowledge through an assessment process.