Student Resources
This section compiles the information of programs which will benefit high school and college students who want to upgrade their credentials or who want to join the construction industry. We include information on MBI's education programs as well as construction related to High Schools, Colleges, and Apprenticeship Programs amongst others. Here the students will find that careers in the construction industry involve upgrading his or her knowledge while the ladder for professional advancing is at reach for everyone.
HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS Tomorrow's jobs-including construction will require more knowledge, better skills, and more flexible workers than ever before. Training for these jobs begins in high school with basic courses in English, algebra, trigonometry, chemistry, and physics. Many schools offer electives in construction technology, drafting, and design. And in some communities, schools have establ ished vocational-technology centers offering instruction and in-the-field practice in carpentry, masonry, plumbing, and HVAC technology. Ask your career and technical educator or occupational specialist to help design a program to meet your goals. And while you're there, check out opportunities for job-shadowing, internships, and mentoring programs in the construction industry.
ON-THE-JOB TRAINING. Many workers with few skills enter the construction industry by obtaining a job with a contractor who will then provide on-the-job training. Entry-level workers generally start as laborers or helpers, assisting more experienced workers. Beginning workers perform routine tasks, such as cleaning and preparing the work site and unloading materials. When the opportunity arises, they learn from experienced construction trades workers how to do more difficult tasks, such as operating tools and equipment. During this time , the construction worker may elect to attend a trade or vocational school, or community college to receive further trade-related training. They may also take steps to enter an apprenticeship in a registered program.
APPRENTICESHIP is the formal path to earning certification as a trades journeyman or journeywoman. Apprenticeships are offered to qualified individuals by employers, employer associations, and joint labor-management organizations. Aprenticeship combines on-the-job training with related technical instruction. Registered programs have term lengths ranging from 1 to 5 years, although 3 or 4 years is the most common requirement.
Apprentices are expected to complete 2,000 hours of supervised on-the-job training and at least 144 hours of in-class instruction per year. As an apprentice, you'll be paid as you work. Wages usually start at 50% of the journey-level wage and gradually rise as your skills increase eventually reaching 90% during your final training period. Many Unionized companies have their workers trained through a Union Apprenticeship Program. Openshop companies usually submit their training programs to the State Department of Labor for acreditation. In addition, openshop apprenticeship programs often use the NCCER curriculum offered by MBI for national assesments and acreditation. You'll also:
- Have full-time employment
- Learn a trade with skills that will serve you a lifetime
- Achieve the higher wages and increased career opportunities that come with journey status
- Be employable anywhere
COMMUNITY COLLEGES put higher education close to where you work and live. They have an open admissions policy and offer many courses, including ones that will help you prepare for a bright future in the construction industry. Community colleges are flexible. Nearly half of their students work full tim e, so they offer courses at convenient times. When you combine these factors with a low tuition rate, community colleges are an excellent place to gain construction job skills. More and more, construction apprenticeship programs are linked to community colleges, most of which offer two-year, associate-degree programs in construction, construction science, construction technology, and construction management.
FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES. If you decide to go to regular, 4-year college, there are many programs that offer undergraduate degrees in construction-related fields. Managerial personnel in the construction industry usually have a college degree or considerable experience in their specialty. Four-year colleges also offer courses such as building science, business and management, contracts, scheduling, and construction methods, materials, and regulations needed by managers to build a solid background for success in the construction industry. The highest level of construction education is the graduate degree. A master's degree opens the doors to a career in executive management.
