The construction trades are the number one employment industry for residents in Federal Heights (adjacent to south Westminster) – an estimated 16.5% of all workers are in the construction occupation. However, most of these jobs aren’t local so people are traveling, sometimes great distances, to build other communities.
Starting next month, the Uplands Community Collective, in partnership with Colorado Home Building Academy, is kicking-off a construction skills boot camp program that will provide a foundation of construction skills, exposure to different trades, OSHA-10 certification, and career support with employers. The six-week program is free for anyone interested in attaining certifications and experience in the construction industry; however, priority will be given to residents living in the 80031 and 80260 zip codes as a result of this partnership.
This is part of a larger workforce training and development initiative and center that will be located adjacent to the proposed Uplands development. The goal of the center is to leverage the economic opportunity of the proposed Uplands community development by providing job training opportunities for local residents interested in construction trades, horticulture, and culinary arts.
“Our commitment through the Uplands Community Collective is to create the pipeline for these workers and anyone else who wants to enter the industry and have a job at Uplands, where they can be involved in building this community over the next 15 years,” said Eric Kornacki, Executive Director of the Collective. “We will provide one-on-one case management to ensure as much of the economic impact is not only retained locally, but building long-term economic earning potential of our community.”
For more information about the workforce training and development center, please visit www.UplandsCommunityCollective.org.