Abram Ramirez, 19, left, and Chris Miranda, 18, work in the construction lab during the Career and Technical Education Open House event at Western Nevada College in Carson City.
For those who are looking for a trade or career in the construction field, WNC is offering eight weeks of accelerated training for the craft professional and entry-level positions.
Beginning March 28, WNC launches the Construction Gateway program, accelerated training for the craft professional and entry-level positions.
Classes will meet at WNC’s Carson campus from 3 to 7 p.m. weekdays through May 20. The only pre-requisite is a high school diploma or equivalent.
“WNC is your connection to high demand construction careers,” said Dr. Georgia White, director of WNC’s technical and applied science programs. “Our stakeholders asked for a fast-track training program to prepare the workforce as Nevada’s economy expands. The Gateway Construction training provides an eight-week training developed in collaboration with our industry partners. This is training for today’s jobs based on an employer’s needs.”
Students completing the three classes will receive nine college credit hours, two National Center for Construction Education and Research credentials (Core Curriculum and Craft Laborer) and a 10-hour Occupational Safety and Health Administration safety card readying the student for the spring, summer and fall Nevada construction seasons. NCCER is a nonprofit education foundation created in 1996 that facilitates standardized training and credentialing for the construction industry.
“Economists predict construction will add 8,700 jobs in 2016 and 10,000 in 2017. This is training for today’s jobs based on employer’s needs,” White said. “WNC is your connection to high demand construction careers. Our stakeholders asked for a fast-track training program to prepare the workforce aid. Students will leave with skills employers are seeking today.”
“Nevada is quickly becoming one of the fastest-growing states in the nation,” White said. “The Silver State is No. 1 for economic development programs in terms of job creation, retention and training. As Nevada’s economy grows, the need for housing, commercial space, and schools increases, too.”
In many cases, JOIN Inc., a nonprofit agency focused on training Northern Nevadans for careers, can assist students with education expenses. Funded by the United States Department of Labor through a grant from Nevadaworks, JOIN is a regional agency dedicated to meeting the needs of current and potential Northern Nevada employers.
JOIN has offices in Carson City, Reno, Fallon, Fernley, Elko, Ely and Winnemucca. The Carson City JOIN office is located at 716 N. Carson St., Suite 108. For more information, phone 775-283-0125 or go to www.join.org.
Those interested in enrolling in WNC’s Construction Gateway program are advised to contact Nevada JobConnect first. JobConnect is a statewide network that connects businesses with employees and provides job seekers with a number of services and resources. The local JobConnect center is located at 1929 N. Carson St. JobConnect centers are also located in Reno, Fallon, Sparks, Elko, Ely, Winnemucca, Las Vegas, Henderson and North Las Vegas.
To learn more about the Construction Gateway program, contact WNC Construction Instructor Nigel Harrison at 775-445-4412 or Nigel.Harrison@wnc.edu or contact Robert Ford at 775-445-3353.
