AGC Oregon-Columbia Chapter Awards $230,000 in Support of Workforce Efforts
The Associated General Contractors Oregon-Columbia Chapter recognizes the critical need to increase and maintain a pipeline of skilled tradespeople and professionals to ensure well trained construction workforce for the future. Under the direction of the Workforce and Professional Development Council, AGC recently awarded $230,000 in workforce development grants to the following 12 organizations. It is estimated that over 2,000 individuals will be directly impacted by these grants through the various programs. Plus, it is estimated an additional 17,000 students will receive some exposure to careers in construction through career fairs and events.
Business Education Compact (BEC) – $9,000 for support of partnership effort for two AGC member companies to participate in BEC STEM Connect program focused on connecting math, science, and construction skills to real world applications for fourth and fifth graders, and, new this year, middle school students in underserved schools in east Multnomah County. Visit www.becpdx.org.
Clark College Foundation – $10,000 for support of materials for the second year of Professional Edge for Construction, which will develop, market, and implement a pre-apprenticeship program to educate 50–60 high school graduates and their families about the many benefits of careers in construction, and provide work ready opportunities to high school graduates to enter formal apprenticeship programs. Visit www.clark.edu.
Constructing Hope Pre-Apprenticeship Program – $15,000 for the Building Strong Foundation program, a no-cost, nine-week pre-apprenticeship training for 125 disadvantaged men and women. Visit www.constructinghope.org.
Impact NW – $3,500 for support of Pathways to Manufacturing and Skilled Trades that provides 33 students from Fir Ridge High School Industrial Arts program (David Douglas School District) the opportunity to explore various careers in the trades with visits to various apprenticeship training centers and utilizing a project-based learning activity (skateboard building) to give students a tangible opportunity to ty their hand at designing and constructing. Visit www.impactnw.org.
Portland Youth Builders – $7,500 for support of Constructing Pathways Out of Poverty pre-apprenticeship program for 50 first-year construction students. Visit www.pybpdx.org.
Northwest College of Construction – $25,000 for support of the Construction Career Pipeline program, to mentor and guide 130 apprentices through program completion to journeymen, and media advertising support of a new Fast Track program to teach needed academic skill sets for 20 students, who will be placed with contractors upon successful completion. Visit www.nwcoc.com.
Oregon Building Congress – $35,000 for support of workforce development projects for 2017–18, which include relationship building with high schools, CTE programs, industry advisory committees, and other industry connections; development and implementation of high school student chapters; industry mentors; and construction curriculum. OBC will also be working to bring together BOLI, community colleges, and various trades training centers to host a construction career fair for military veterans. Visit www.obcweb.com.
Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. – $15,000 for support of Pathways to Success pre-apprenticeship program, a seven-week program to prepare 96 women to attain in-demand, living wage careers in the trades. Visit www.tradeswomen.net.
Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT) – $8,665 total grant allocation: $4,055 to support OIT civil engineering student chapter professional development activities and hosting of the ASCE Pacific NW Conference to be held in Klamath Falls in 2018, and $4,610 for the purchase of equipment and tools to design and build concrete canoe structures for student competitions. Visit www.oit.edu.
Oregon State University (OSU) – $67,600; AGC has again been pledged to support the OSU CCE industry liaison position to facilitate career and industry connections between students, faculty, AGC members, and the construction industry. OSU CEM students also received new equipment donations of five portable multi-purpose printers and assorted ink cartridges from Pacific Office Automation for use at student competitions. Visit cce.oregonstate.edu.
Portland Workforce Alliance – $6,500 for support of Bridge to Construction Careers 2017/18, which helps recruit over 100 volunteers to provide 250+ Portland area high school students experiences to learn about construction careers through career days, classroom speakers, job fairs, and summer camps. Visit www.portlandworkforcealliance.org.
Willamette Education Service District (Willamette Promise) – $27,000 for funding of the 2017 Educator Externship Program, a two-week summer program for 30 educators to experience hands-on learning about construction careers, to share knowledge with their students and other faculty. Upon program completion, including submittal of lesson plans and program recap, educators to receive a stipend and graduate credit. Visit www.wesd.org.
For more information on AGC’s Workforce and Professional Development Council, contact Colette Evers, 503-685-8328.