Build California hosts virtual, open enrollment classes and courses designed to excite and educate California's 12 to 24-year-old’s about construction professions and the skilled trades.
Since launching in September 2019, Build California has reached more than 7.5 million students, parents, teachers, influencers and job-seekers across the state through its robust mix of outreach and programmatic efforts, educating them on the career opportunities available in the construction industry.
It has tallied more than 55,000 engagements (likes, shares or comments) with online content, and drawn more than 31,000 visitors to Build California's website.
Capitalizing on this success, AGC of California and AGC Construction Education Foundation (CEF) have announced the launch of a new online learning platform to prepare the next generation of construction professionals for the next step in their construction careers: Build California e-cademy
Preparing Career-Ready Learners
Recognizing the need to cultivate and sustain student interest in construction careers and develop students into new professionals who not only understand the industry but have what it takes to succeed, Build California e-cademy developed two pathways of instruction.
‘Explore, Learn' Pathway
Students can interactively learn about the fun aspects of construction with this pathway. It features curriculum on topics such as robots in construction, woodshop, technology in construction and an introduction to Build California. This pathway will help cultivate and sustain student interest in construction careers from their early years through high school until they qualify for a pre-apprenticeship/apprenticeship programs.
‘Construction Ready Certificate' Pathway
This track serves as a first entry point on a construction career pathway and as a feeder into pre-apprenticeship/ apprenticeship programs and/or college programming. The certificate is comprised of four one-hour courses developed in partnership with AGC members and union representatives, including: introduction to skilled trades, introduction to apprenticeships, get jobsite ready and introduction to construction management. Once completed, participants receive a certificate recognized by unions, apprenticeship programs and member firms as an indication that the student has done their research and is seriously interested in taking the next step in their construction career. This certificate is designed to serve as a way to increase readiness and knowledge as young people take the next step. After completion, participants will receive a 30-to-60-minute career coaching session with a Build California staff member who can help connect the student to partner organizations, apprenticeship opportunities, member firms or schools, depending on their desired pathway.
This curriculum was created with the help of a committee consisting of labor and management partners, including: A-C Electric Company, Carpenters Training Committee for Northern California, Flatiron Construction Corporation, Laborers Southern California Joint Apprenticeship Committee, Northern California Laborers Training Center, Royal Electric Company and Southern California Carpenters Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committee
Measuring Impact
Build California's e-cademy will have the ability to measure impact over time, tracking how many students who received a certificate enter a pre-apprenticeship program or go work for AGC member companies. This learning management system will allow AGC CEF to study the impact of Build California and pivot as needed to create a steady workforce pipeline.
Get in Front of Eager Young People
Starting now, those who are interested can leverage this new platform to get in front of excited and eager young people in a new way. As an instructor, you can help students looking to learn and break into the industry become pre-apprenticeship ready by hosting virtual, open enrollment classes and courses designed to excite and educate California's 12 to 24-year-old's about construction professions and the skilled trades.
Courses Offered:
• One-hour Explore & Learn Classes — Topics could include Virtual Reality in Construction, Robots in Construction, Girls Build California, Drones in Construction, Technology in Construction and Woodshop.
• Four-week Custom Certificate Courses — These courses help students identify a skilled trade they are interested in and lay out the steps to find an apprenticeship that meets their interests, skills and needs. Courses could include Intro to Skilled Trades, Intro to Apprenticeships, Get Jobsite Ready and Intro to Construction Management.
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