When the Sanford Contractors Construction Academy launched earlier this summer, nobody knew quite what to expect. It was a new idea that had been in the works for a while — and there were even some bigger plans ahead.
But it was a new idea, a locally produced, cooperative venture involving North Carolina and local organizations. A lot was uncertain.
By the time the nine-week program ended, all of that had changed. At a wrap-up celebration on August 7, Sanford Contractors Development Director Zac West said that six of the 11 students completing the academy were already hired by the company to work either part- or full-time, and discussions were underway to hire even more — either right away or when their current educational commitments allowed.
Paid experiences
Designed as a pre-apprenticeship “learn and earn experience,” the academy was created by Sanford Contractors to help area high school students seriously interested in construction get hands-on experience and a taste for what a career in the industry might be like. It was formed as a partnership with Central Carolina Community College, Lee County Schools and the North Carolina Community College System to combine classroom instruction with paid, on-the-job training.
After one initial week of classes focused on work and safety, students spent one day each week in class and four in the field, working on a range of construction projects and company support services. They were paid a competitive hourly rate for their work and received credit for two college continuing education courses as well as credit toward a formal apprenticeship.
About 50 students expressed interest in the academy when it was announced, with about 30 formally applying for what was expected to be about eight spots. In the end, 11 students completed the academy, working in five different divisions of the company.
Look back and ahead
During the hour-long celebration, officials from sponsoring organizations recounted stories about how the students performed over the summer. They celebrated each student individually, talking about their accomplishments before turning the mic over for them to provide comments about what they learned on the job. Each one then received a certificate, shirt and hat to mark the occasion.
Most reflections from company officials focused on how hard students worked and how dedicated they were to the job, a point drilled home when West pointed out that, all summer, only one student was late to work — and that happened just one time.
That statistic — and what happened throughout the summer — impressed Eric Tillmon, field supervisor for ApprenticeshipNC, an organization within the North Carolina Community College System that manages apprenticeships throughout the state.
“I see a lot of different programs, I go to a lot of different places and I’m truly impressed. This is shaping up to be probably one of the better programs in the state,” he told the 50 students, parents and local officials attending. “You guys have laid a great foundation. You know, they always say it takes a village. I look at the partners here. I look at the parents. I look at the support. The foundation is here for this to be one of our model programs in the state.”
Academy organizers are gathering information about their experience from students in this first class. The goal is to enhance this offering with the possibility of developing it into a full-fledged apprenticeship — an idea that seems to be generating a lot of enthusiasm.
