TUCSON CITIZEN: Thurs., Sept. 21, 2006
Construction trades get a boost
Home builders sponsor free school to address labor shortage
By David L. Teibel
Coming out of a record construction year and facing a serious shortage of skilled construction tradespeople, the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association decided to do something about the problem.
The association started its own trade school, which tonight will graduate 14 students. Five women and nine men are the first students to go through the year-long course.
"We have just come out of the most severe labor shortage in the history of home building," said association Vice President Roger Yohem. "That was due primarily to the fact that 2005 was a record year in construction.
Photo provided by SAHBA Shirley Howard overcame family and social pressures to graduate from The SAHBA Institute of Construction. |
“The public schools have failed in vocational education, not just in Tucson, but across the nation," Yohem said. SAHBA is doing something about that, too. It has received a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to fund a construction trade course at Catalina Magnet High School to teach building trades to 200 high school students a year over three years, Yohem said. The money is being used in part to renovate a multipurpose room at the school, 3645 E. Pima Street. Classes may start this year, Yohem said.
|
"Construction careers can be very financially rewarding and very fulfilling," Yohem said. Building trade-school graduates, after two to four years on the job, can make $50,000 to $60,000 a year if they move up in the right company, Yohem said.
One of those well-paid construction workers may end up being Matthias Eiserman, one of tonight's graduates. After going through the course, Eiserman, 19, was hired by
Les Wolf, owner of L.G. Wolf Co., a local home-building firm, who teaches the course. Eiserman works as a construction cost estimator and project manager.
"I did very well," Eiserman said of the classes. "They were fun and they were very interesting."
Eiserman, who moved here from Monroe, Wis., to attend the course, said, "I wasn't really planning on going to college. I'd already gone through 12 years of school and I couldn't see going through any more." He said he plans to make construction work his career.
SAHBA's school teaches eight trades, including plumbing; electrical wiring; heating, ventilation and air conditioning; concrete; masonry; framing; and finish carpentry. The eighth course is from a list of electives: dry wall, stucco, insulation or painting, Yohem said. The school, funded entirely by SAHBA members, is free to students.
Another course is to start next month. Yohem said anyone interesting in enrolling may get details by calling SAHBA at 795-5114.
In addition to Eiserman, those graduating at a ceremony at the Tucson Convention Center, are Beverly Dulaney, Richard Encinas, Mark Garrigan, Velecia Gatewood, Adam Hardestie, Shirley Howard, Christopher Hughes, DeRon Lupe, Jonathan Purtell, Stephanie Renshaw, Kelly W. Smith, Beth Underwood and Steve Weber.