Page 35 - SKILLS - 2023

“We’re always on the lookout for skilled, qualified workers in all areas of construction, from project management to on-site laborers.” —Victoria Bruno,
Business Development Manager, Kings Capital Construction Group
schools and organizations to guide students of all ages in certification programs and vocational training.
CIC offers scholarships and holds a popular annual spring Construction Career Day. A CIC affiliate, The Building Contractors Association
of Westchester & the Mid-Hudson Region, serves as a key informational source for the construction industry.
Labor unions such as the Teamsters can also be an excellent source of hands-on training. “The Teamsters offer so many ways to learn a skill,” says Denise June, training director of Teamsters Local 456 in Elmsford. “We work with construction, lumberyards, warehouses, municipalities, freight, dispatching — from A to Z, you
name it.”
June previously worked in heavy
construction driving dump trucks, trailers, and other vehicles of the trade. “Now I also focus on training other people, to help them advance into a career,” she says. June heads up a Local 456 driving course that boasts an innovative feature: a classroom simulator console that mimics the inside of a truck cab.
“This way, people can practice shifting gears before they even get behind the wheel of a real truck,” says June. “It helps them feel more comfortable and confident — and with confidence comes success.”
Sought-after Skills
Part of the lure of construction jobs is that they embrace a multitude of skill sets, from project engineers, truck drivers, and heavy-equipment operators to workers who can frame buildings, handle concrete and steel, to electricians, plumbers, carpenters, and painters.
Salaries vary widely, depending
on education, certification, and experience. Salary.com reports the average construction worker in the White Plains area typically earns from about $40,500 to $50,700, with a project manager earning on average between $130,600 and $147,200.
As the shape of the job market continues to shift, more employers are welcoming workers who don’t have a four-year college degree.
“The workforce seems to be moving from what used to be known as ‘credentialed hiring’ to more ‘skilled hiring,’” says Tracy Racicot, director
of the Center for Adult & Community Services at Southern Westchester BOCES. “If somebody is interested in working as an entry-level electrician, for instance, organizations like BOCES can provide hands-on basic skills training. Then employers can hire these folks and offer their own additional training. We find that many employers don’t want canned training these days. It’s not a one-size-fits-all situation.”
Other training options include The Career/Tech Center at BOCES of Putnam and Northern Westchester, with an array of classes such as construction electricity, carpentry, welding, HVAC, masonry, and more.
SUNY Westchester Community College’s classes aimed at construction-related careers include electrical technician, plumbing and
HVAC/R (the “R” is for “refrigeration”), home inspection, truck driving, green building, and sustainable design. “And through corporate and foundation partnerships, many of our short-term workforce training students receive scholarships,” says Mark Stellar,
the college’s director of strategic marketing and communications. At Pace University, students
can earn a Construction Project Management certification; the school also offers related areas of study in blueprint reading, construction cost estimating, and construction contract law and practices.
Several local groups focus
on grassroots training to help residents gain hands-on skills that often translate into lucrative jobs. Westhab in Yonkers runs a Back to Work program for underemployed and unemployed individuals, while Soulful Synergy is a minority-owned nonprofit in New Rochelle that features a TradeGrade Program leading to employment pathways in several fields, including construction. Soulful Synergy also presents a popular Urban Handyperson Program that provides hands-on practice in basic construction skills for home and building repairs.
More Training Sources
The Westchester County Office of Economic Development, headed by Bridget Gibbons, cultivates a talent pipeline of workers and matches them with employers; plans are also in the works to launch a pre-apprenticeship program for the construction trade.
Thom Kleiner, executive director of the Westchester-Putnam Workforce Development Board in White Plains, says the board often works with
Denise June of Teamsters Local 456 trains construction workers on a driving simulator.
What’s Hot. What’s Next. What’s Needed. 2023 SKILLS 33
© Courtesy of Denise June