Construction Consortium and Career Fair Recap – April 8, 2022

Did you miss the Construction Consortium and Career Fair?

The first Construction Consortium meeting was held in partnership with CareerSource Brevard,  Space Coast HBCA – Home Builders and Contractors Association, Sustainable Workplace Alliance (Event Sponsor), Amplify SoMe, and Brevard Public Schools. The event was hosted by Space Coast HBCA and was attended by employers, educators, workforce development partners and community stakeholders.

Consortium Highlights:

• David Casavant, Program Director for Sustainable Workplace Alliance, informed that they have grants from NIH and OSHA to offer no cost trainings for individuals to prepare them for the construction industry. So far, they have had 40 complete training, with 78% working, earning an average pay of $16.25 per hour. Employers can refer their employees for training, and the next offering is in July in Titusville. Trainings offered include:
  • HAZWOPER 40-hour Site Worker
  • Powered Industrial Truck (forklift)
  • Certified Lead, Asbestos and Mold Remediation (CLAM)
  • HAZMAT Labeling
  • OSHA Disaster Site Worker
  • First Aid / CPR / Bloodborne Pathogens
  • How to Succeed at a Job Interview
  • Water and Soil Sampling
  • Life Skills and Goal Setting
  • Introduction to Environmental Justice
  • Job Search Strategies and Resume Building
• Rachel Rutledge, Director of Career and Technical Education at Brevard Public Schools, reported that students who take two or more CTE program courses have a 90% graduation rate, because they see a path to employment and it motivates them to complete their education. They are currently seeking internship opportunities and explained that students under 18 are allowed to participate in internships because of their affiliation with the technical training program. All students will be prepped for safety. If employers would like to connect with interns or learn more about their programs, email Rachel.
• Melissa Byers, Business Liaison with CareerSource Brevard, presented about free services available to employers. For recruitment, employers can post their jobs in Employ Florida, get candidates screened for their positions and participate in recruitment events. Work-based training grants are available that reduce the cost to train new employees who do not possess skills to perform the job or upgrade the skills of current employees. The training grants reimburse the employers for training costs. The Rebuild Florida Workforce Recovery Training Program offers free Heavy Equipment and OSHA trainings to prepare workers entering construction careers. Prove-it assessments and SkillSoft courses are available through the Skillup Brevard (Metrix Learning) online learning platform. Finally, she provided a labor market analysis of the construction industry to include wage and employment trends. Melissa is available to conduct occupational analysis for employers. For more information, email Melissa.
• Consortium attendees engaged in a discussion about the talent attraction and retention concerns for the construction industry.

Handouts:

• Construction Consortium presentation (.pdf)
• Registered Apprenticeship information (.pdf)
• Sustainable Workplace Alliance employer flyer (.pdf)
• Sustainable Workplace Alliance course offerings (.pdf)
• Brevard Public Schools CTE programs by location
• Construction industry labor market analysis (.pdf)
• On-the-Job Training overview (.pdf)
• Incumbent Worker Training overview (.pdf)

Get Involved:

Contact Melissa Byers, Business Liaison, [email protected], (321) 394-0611.