Colorado Homebuilding Academy Zooms in on construction trainees
Online construction boot camp allows individuals to attend basic construction classes from home.
The Colorado Homebuilding Academy (CHA) has launched an online construction boot camp through Zoom Cloud Meetings that allows individuals to attend basic construction classes during the COVID-19 stay-at-home order.
The CHA registered more than 60 people for the online construction boot camp within 72 hours all from diverse backgrounds.
“Due to the current situation and unemployment skyrocketing, we have seen a record number of registrants from a variety of backgrounds,” said Brian Dare, a recruiter for the CHA. “We have people who are wanting to switch careers, a number of homeless individuals who are looking to get back on their feet, hospitality workers who have lost their jobs, paramedics and grocery store workers who have all been directly impacted by COVID-19.”
The people who participate in the Bootcamp will receive an OSHA 10 certification, CHA completion certification, and access to career coaching. The students will be ready to seek employment with home builders after completion of the camp. After the stay-at-home order is lifted, these students will be able to attend the on-site, hands-on training to complement the lecture portion they completed through CHA’s online courses.
The CHA online construction Bootcamp classes include live instruction with teachers who are trade professionals, access to online videos and presentations, invitations to career-focused webinars, and access to future career fairs.
The three-week camp runs Monday through Thursday from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for the evening classes. Career focus webinars with trade professionals will be scheduled outside of those times.
“We want to do everything we can to help people learn new skills and to fill a void for those home builders who are hiring and need skilled workers,” added Dare. “It’s certainly a unique way to train in the construction industry, but we are confident that those who participate in the program will be one step closer to finding jobs once the market readjusts.”
CHA is a non-profit organization with the mission to educate and train those interested in the construction industry. The program is targeted to those who need a helping hand whether due to homelessness, addiction, underemployment or simply needing to find a new career. For those who take the program (valued at $1,200 and underwritten) and then pursue a career in construction, the fee is waived.
The people graduating from the program are trained and ready to be placed in the home-construction industry. To date, the CHA has trained and placed more than 600 people in only a few years. In turn, those companies who hire from the CHA get trained employees who are also OSHA certified therefore avoiding the sometimes costly and time-intensive training.
“We understand the market isn’t as vibrant as it was pre-COVID-19, but we know home builders will be looking for trained individuals on the other side of this situation,” said Damon DiFabio, Director of the CHA. “Now is a perfect time for students to be learning about a new career path in construction, and we want to do what we can to get our students ready.”
CHA is a collaborative, industry-driven training organization created to solve the construction industry’s need for skilled workers. CHA provides hands-on learning, job placement and mentoring for youth and adults as they build careers in construction.
Contact Brian Dare at at 303-358-4409 and/or get info@cohomebuildingacademy.org.
Learn more at https://cohomebuildingacademy.org
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