NIC Workforce Training receives $524k apprenticeship grant
North Idaho workers pictured building a shop-garage in Coeur d’Alene recently. NIC Workforce Training Center will use grant money to start up registered apprenticeships in construction and heavy equipment programs. /Vicki Isakson, North Idaho College
Time to get building.
North Idaho College Workforce Training Center has received a $524,170 grant from the Idaho Workforce Development Council. The two-year Workforce Development Training Fund Innovation grant will help establish new registered apprenticeship programs in Construction Pre-Apprenticeship, Construction Apprenticeship and Heavy Equipment Operator Apprenticeship.
“This is the result of partnerships with many community-based employers, who told us there were skills gaps in the construction trades that needed to be bridged,” said Vicki Isakson, NIC Workforce Training Center director. “We’re extremely grateful that the Idaho Workforce Development Council recognized the need and gave us the funding to address it.”
Employment forecasts for the construction industry indicate a 31.8-percent increase in jobs statewide from 57,759 in 2020 to 76,143 in 2030, according to the Idaho Department of Labor. For North Idaho, employment projections indicate a 24-percent increase in the next 10 years. The Idaho Associated General Contractors reported that 83 percent of Idaho firms have unfilled hourly craft positions.
“In 2020, we surveyed more than 200 housing-related contractors to verify and determine the regional demand,” said Colleen Hoffman, NIC Workforce Training Center Customized Training coordinator. “Survey results indicated an overwhelming need for construction skills and heavy equipment operator skills. Since then, several employers and non-employers, such as the North Idaho Building Contractors Association, have joined the conversation and identified additional training gaps.”
The project aims to enroll 124 participants over a two-year period. Participants who complete the training will earn industry-recognized credentials from the National Center for Construction Education and Research. Those who complete construction or heavy equipment apprenticeship programs will earn their journey-level certification. NIC Workforce Training Center staff are working closely with industry partners to develop program design, provide subject matter expertise, provide space and equipment and create tools to measure and evaluate the impact the program will have on the local industry.
“What we’ve found is local employers have indicated the need for re-training incumbent workers – to help establish a pipeline of skilled individuals to fill jobs,” Hoffman said.
NIC currently offers a one-year certificate in Carpentry and Construction Technology, but industry demand exceeds current capabilities. NIC Workforce Training Center also offers four-year apprenticeship programs in Electrical, HVAC and Plumbing. The new registered apprenticeships will complement existing programs offered at North Idaho College and the NIC Workforce Training Center.
“Participants can earn as they learn,” Isakson said. “The grant covers start-up costs to get the programs up and running. There will be tuition costs for participants, but various forms of funding will be available, including Idaho Launch, which covers 75 to 90 percent of costs. Scholarships will also be available.”
The Idaho Workforce Development Council is currently dispersing training funds through the Idaho Launch program. For more information on tuition assistance, visit www.idaholaunch.com. The new apprenticeship programs are expected to open in late summer 2022.
For more information about the new registered apprenticeship program, contact NIC Workforce Training Center Customized Training Coordinator Colleen Hoffman at (208) 769-7732 or colleen.hoffman@nic.edu.
Posted: Thursday, May 12, 2022
