Associated Builders and Contractors of NH/VT and NH Home Builders Association partner on new three-year program available to 900 local employers
On November 18, during the National Apprenticeship Week celebration in NH, Associated Builders and Contractors of New Hampshire and Vermont (ABC NH/VT) in partnership with New Hampshire Homebuilders Association (NHHBA) signed standards to create a new three-year Registered Carpentry Apprenticeship program through the ApprenticeshipNH initiative and with Manchester Community College (MCC). This new consortium program will help address the shortage and demand for carpenters across the state by connecting with nearly 900 employers in the combined ABC NH/VT and NHHBA associations.
“We are excited to roll out the new Registered Carpentry Apprenticeship program with two of NH’s biggest building and construction associations, ABC NH/VT and NHHBA, to help solve the workforce puzzle in New Hampshire,” said Tracey Jackson, ApprenticeshipNH grant manager. “The trades, like many industries, are in need of workers and this new program will help address that and create a new pipeline of skilled workers.”
Workforce development is one of the biggest challenges facing residential and commercial construction companies. According to a study by the National Center for Construction Education & Research, approximately 41% of the construction workforce will retire in the next 10 years. The average age of a worker in the construction industry is increasing at a faster rate than worker age for all US industries.
“Through this partnership with ABC NH/VT and NHHBA, we were able to develop a Carpentry Apprenticeship program as a pathway for students to enter a viable career either while in high school or directly upon graduation,” said Anne Banks, ApprenticeshipNH High School grant manager. “This will help with workforce shortages by creating a formalized system to train the next generation of carpenters.”
Job seekers will also be introduced to carpentry through on-the-job training and related instruction, all while earning pay. Employers will assist in training these workers to fill open positions. Using the “earn-while-you-learn” model of ApprenticeshipNH, the three-year program includes 455 hours of classroom instruction at MCC and 6,000 hours of on-the-job training.
“We are excited for the opportunity and career pathways our consortium model carpentry apprenticeship program provides for Granite Staters,” said Josh Reap, president and CEO of ABC NH/VT. “Creation of this program is part of the industry’s solution to address the workforce shortage, and ABC is proud to be a program sponsor. Each person that enters the apprenticeship program is on the path to earning a competitive salary, learning new skills and answering the call to help solve the construction industry’s workforce shortage.”
NHHBA has a combined membership of nearly 600 companies, employing over 30,000 NH citizens in every aspect of the building industry.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for the young men and women of New Hampshire who may be considering joining the residential construction trades,” said Joe Harnois, acting president of NHHBA. “Never before have you seen federal and state entities partner with the private sector carpentry trades to offer a long-term viable pathway into a great career field. I have been awaiting this day and am thrilled to have signed the memorandum of understanding moving this important initiative forward.”
Registered Apprenticeships are a proven solution for businesses with workforce shortages to hire and retain workers while acting as an opportunity for jobseekers to earn immediate employment with steadily increasing wages and develop new skills in high-demand fields. Programs focus on opportunities within the advanced manufacturing, automotive technology, biomedical technology, business and finance, construction and infrastructure, healthcare, hospitality and information technology sectors. The addition of the ApprenticeshipNH-High School team is proving to play an integral role in the development of a talent pipeline by connecting sponsors with high school students through a pre-apprenticeship to Registered Apprenticeship pathway.
PHOTO
Seated: Matt Mayberry, Executive Director – NH Home Builders Association; Joe Harnois, President – NH Home Builders; Jeff Luter, Chairman – Fulcrum Associates, Jennifer Landon, VP of Education & Workforce Development – Associated Builders and Contractors, NH/VT
Standing: Liz Arcieri-HS Apprentice and Business Outreach Specialist, Kris Dudley-Director, Workforce Development Center at MCC, Anne Banks, ApprenticeshipNH-High School Grant Manager; Brian Bicknell, President – Manchester Community College; Loula Kalampalikis, Workforce Development Administrator & WorkreadyNH Statewide Director, Tracey Jackson-ApprenticeshipNH-Adult Grant Manager, Mary Ann Gaschnig-HS Apprentice and Business Outreach Specialist.
