Amid a persistent skilled labor shortage that continues to challenge the building sector, constrain housing supply and exacerbate affordability, Katerra, a technology company redefining the construction industry, today announced it has launched a new apprenticeship program that offers the necessary training and skills for the future of construction. Registered with and approved by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training, credentials earned through the Katerra Apprenticeship Program are portable and recognized in all U.S. states and three territories.
The Katerra Apprenticeship Program offers a combination of technical classroom instruction and hands-on training for a variety of trade occupations including carpentry, plumbing, electrical and HVAC. Apprenticeships for other occupations are anticipated in the future. The educational curriculum associated with each of Katerra’s programs is accredited through the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER). While individual programs vary depending on the complexity of the occupation, all Katerra apprenticeship programs require approximately 144 hours of technical instruction per year and 2,000 hours of on-the-job training.
“Katerra is leading the construction industry in the application of new technologies and methodologies to deliver better quality buildings faster and more efficiently,” said Samantha Rist, head of self-perform at Katerra. “We developed our apprenticeship program to train the next generation of construction workers to use cutting-edge tools and the latest technology. Now, Katerra apprentices can gain portable credentials for use throughout their careers, at Katerra and beyond.”
As part of the program, Katerra offers a series of week-long boot camps at its state-of-the-art factories for related technical instruction training modules. The boot camps – delivered in both English and Spanish – are designed to ensure each participant receives individualized support. English-as-Second Language (ESL) classes are also offered.
“The lack of skilled laborers is one of the biggest challenges the building sector faces,” said NAHB Chairman Greg Ugalde, a home builder and developer from Torrington, Conn. “Apprenticeship programs like Katerra’s that offer portable credentials and teach new technologies are important as the industry seeks to broaden recruitment and increase interest in construction as a career.”
To ensure equal opportunity for training and development in the construction industry, Katerra partners with local organizations in the areas where it operates to recruit for its apprenticeship programs, including from local high schools, workforce development programs, the military, and general industry. Interested candidates can apply for employment at Katerra’s website.
Related Stories
| Nov 29, 2010
New Design Concepts for Elementary and Secondary Schools
Hard hit by the economy, new construction in the K-12 sector has slowed considerably over the past year. Yet innovation has continued, along with renovations and expansions. Today, Building Teams are showing a keener focus on sustainable design, as well as ways to improve indoor environmental quality (IEQ), daylighting, and low-maintenance finishes such as flooring.
| Nov 29, 2010
Renovating for Sustainability
Motivated by the prospect of increased property values, reduced utility bills, and an interest in jumping on the sustainability bandwagon, a noted upturn in green building upgrades is helping designers and real estate developers stay busy while waiting for the economy to recover. In fact, many of the larger property management outfits have set up teams to undertake projects seeking LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (LEED-EBOM, also referred to as LEED-EB), a certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.
| Nov 23, 2010
The George W. Bush Presidential Center, which will house the former president’s library
The George W. Bush Presidential Center, which will house the former president’s library and museum, plus the Bush Institute, is aiming for LEED Platinum. The 226,565-sf center, located at Southern Methodist University, in Dallas, was designed by architect Robert A.M. Stern and landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh.
| Nov 23, 2010
Honeywell's School Energy and Environment Survey: 68% of districts delayed or eliminated improvements because of economy
Results of Honeywell's second annual “School Energy and Environment Survey” reveal that almost 90% of school leaders see a direct link between the quality and performance of school facilities, and student achievement. However, districts face several obstacles when it comes to keeping their buildings up to date and well maintained. For example, 68% of school districts have either delayed or eliminated building improvements in response to the economic downturn.
| Nov 16, 2010
Brazil Olympics spurring green construction
Brazil's green building industry will expand in the coming years, spurred by construction of low-impact venues being built for the 2016 Olympics. The International Olympic Committee requires arenas built for the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro meet international standards for low-carbon emissions and energy efficiency. This has boosted local interest in developing real estate with lower environmental impact than existing buildings. The timing couldn’t be better: the Brazilian government is just beginning its long-term infrastructure expansion program.
| Nov 16, 2010
Green building market grows 50% in two years; Green Outlook 2011 report
The U.S. green building market is up 50% from 2008 to 2010—from $42 billion to $55 billion-$71 billion, according to McGraw-Hill Construction's Green Outlook 2011: Green Trends Driving Growth report. Today, a third of all new nonresidential construction is green; in five years, nonresidential green building activity is expected to triple, representing $120 billion to $145 billion in new construction.
| Nov 16, 2010
Calculating office building performance? Yep, there’s an app for that
123 Zero build is a free tool for calculating the performance of a market-ready carbon-neutral office building design. The app estimates the discounted payback for constructing a zero emissions office building in any U.S. location, including the investment needed for photovoltaics to offset annual carbon emissions, payback calculations, estimated first costs for a highly energy efficient building, photovoltaic costs, discount rates, and user-specified fuel escalation rates.
| Nov 16, 2010
CityCenter’s new Harmon Hotel targeted for demolition
MGM Resorts officials want to demolish the unopened 27-story Harmon Hotel—one of the main components of its brand new $8.5 billion CityCenter development in Las Vegas. In 2008, inspectors found structural work on the Harmon didn’t match building plans submitted to the county, with construction issues focused on improperly placed steel reinforcing bar. In January 2009, MGM scrapped the building’s 200 condo units on the upper floors and stopped the tower at 27 stories, focusing on the Harmon having just 400 hotel rooms. With the Lord Norman Foster-designed building mired in litigation, construction has since been halted on the interior, and the blue-glass tower is essentially a 27-story empty shell.
| Nov 16, 2010
Where can your firm beat the recession? Try any of these 10 places
Wondering where condos and rental apartments will be needed? Where companies are looking to rent office space? Where people will need hotel rooms, retail stores, and restaurants? Newsweek compiled a list of the 10 American cities best situated for economic recovery. The cities fall into three basic groups: Texas, the New Silicon Valleys, and the Heartland Honeys. Welcome to the recovery.
