FROM: Ann Houston,Communications and Marketing
Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education
1500 W. Seventh Ave., Stillwater, OK 74074
Phone: 405-743-5112 Fax: 405-743-5541 Cell: 405-742-6838
e-mail:ahous@okcareertech.org
OK CareerTech Keeping Pace with Construction Specialty Trades
Projections show Oklahoma’s specialty trades construction industry in the top 20 growth industries through 2014, which continues employer challenges to find a skilled labor workforce.
As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, specialty trade contractors are those whose primary concern is performing specific activities such as pouring concrete, site preparation, plumbing, painting, and electrical work. These skills are involved in building construction or other activities that are similar for all types of construction, not for the entire project. The work performed may include new work, additions, alterations, maintenance and repairs.
Oklahoma’s CareerTech system is keeping pace with the challenge of training a workforce in specialty trades. The system includes 29 technology centers districts on 56 campuses across the state, programs in more than 550 school districts and 25 Skills Centers, which are located behind prison walls.
 |
Primarily through the technology centers, Oklahoma’s CareerTech system boasts 50 carpentry programs, five building maintenance programs and two cabinetmaking programs. Cabinetmaking is also taught in several carpentry programs. Other programs include 13 masonry, 27 air conditioning and refrigeration, 21 residential wiring (electrical trades), 46 welding and five plumbing, according to Larry Bullock. Bullock is a technical program supervisor at the state CareerTech agency in Stillwater. The Oklahoma Employment Outlook 2014 found the demand for nonresidential structures to possibly be the catalyst behind the projected growth in specialty trades as the construction of buildings and heavy and civil engineering are projected to lose jobs for the period. |
Specialty trade contractors usually perform most of their work at the construction site, although they may have shops where they perform prefabrication and other work. Establishments primarily engaged in preparing sites for new construction are also included.
Communities across the state see houses that are built with CareerTech’s student labor and auctioned locally. These houses are training grounds for the specialty trades.
“CareerTech’s construction and trade programs build the houses to provide hands-on training essential to our student – and ultimately employer – success in the workforce,” Bullock said.
The construction programs are located on campuses from Woodward to Idabel and Pryor to Altus, which means there is at least one construction-related program on nearly every CareerTech campus in the state. Only two carpentry programs remain on high school campuses. They are located at Broken Bow and Valliant.
Meridian Technology Center in Stillwater constructs a house, which takes two years to complete and incorporates the construction programs/students in the live work process of building a house. Red River Technology Center in Duncan has also constructed off-campus house projects. Northeast Technology Center in Afton, Mid-America in Wayne, Kiamichi on the Stigler and Talihina campuses, Indian Capital in Sallisaw and Autry Tech in Enid each usually construct a roll away house annually. The construction of a house each year may vary from campus to campus. Tulsa Technology Center’s Lemley campus has the only full-time commercial carpentry program in a technology center and Fort Supply, in a Skills Center. “Students from all of the programs compete in regional and then state skills and leadership competitions through the SkillsUSA student organization. The first place winners then compete at the national level,” Bullock said. “They are the best of the best and are often hired right off the competition floor.” |
Teamwork contest at Oklahoma CareerTech’s Annual SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Championships. |
The Teamwork contest combines four occupations into one contest. Teamwork represents carpentry, masonry, residential wiring and plumbing. This competitive event is sponsored heavily by industry in the supplying of the materials. Last year’s contest cost approximately $1,500-1,800 per team.
“These students are gaining skills that will make them employable in either the residential or commercial construction industries,” Bullock said. “Some students elect to continue their education by attending the Construction Management programs at OSU/Okmulgee, OSU/Stillwater or OU/Norman.”
For more information about Oklahoma’s CareerTech system visit www.okcareertech.org/ti/
Posted 8/01/07