As jobs in the area move away from power plant operations and into more diversified fields, among careers that are in high demand are those in the construction trades. Stepping up to meet that demand is the construction trades program at Northland Pioneer College headed up by Faculty in Construction Jorge Meza. The program, based in Holbrook, provides a great opportunity not only for adults interested in a certification or an associate’s degree in the construction trades but is especially ideal for area high school students looking to get a jump start on their future with a high paying career.
According to Meza, students enter the program through NAVIT (Northern Arizona Vocational and Technical Education) enrollment at their high school. There are no costs to take part in the program for high school students and it’s held during school hours with transportation provided, but there is a GPA requirement of 2.0 or higher, at least at Holbrook High School. After completing two years in their junior and senior years these students are graduating not only with their diploma but also a certification of proficiency in construction. For students interested in going further, they just need to take the required general education classes to reach an associate’s degree, which for most can be done in a semester.
“If you’re going into the industry to get into construction management — if you’re going to pursue more higher learning, construction management, project managers, they require a four-year degree. But associates degree applies towards that degree,” Meza explained.
But the certification alone, can mean more money in their pockets. “Some big construction companies, nationwide companies, honor our certificates, so they come in as a higher level than entry level so a higher pay scale. They receive a lot of training including their OSHA 10 certification, so they can build on that. The CPR certification is also recognized by the military and big companies,” he added.
The opportunity for certification is also there for adults. “We do welcome adults, but they aren’t bound to that two-year high school program. So sometimes they do just one year, which covers the electrical, exterior finish, plumbing, etc.,” he said.
In the fall, the program will move from building tiny homes that are being utilized at the Northern Arizona Training Center in Taylor, to house emergency personnel who are there for training, to having students build a small home on California Street in Holbrook, on property purchased from the city by NPC. Once complete, the home will be sold to fund the next year’s home building program.
Meza fought hard to have the program in Holbrook to make certain that the students attending Holbrook High School have this opportunity. But while many students from the high school express interest in the program, the barrier that is run into is a student’s GPA. The required 2.0 GPA is basically a C average, but too many students interested in the field don’t meet that minimum. That’s where parents and caregivers need to step in on a student’s sophomore year and impress upon their child the importance of making sure they keep their grades up. Anything less not only removes them from taking advantage of this program, but any other NAVIT program the schools in the area offer to improve student outcomes and build up the local workforce.
“I think it’s really good for the students and the community. We need programs to train in our communities. There is going to be a lot of growth and not just for carpenters, there’s going to be companies converting metal containers to homes. They need welders, so there is an opportunity for all trades. The roofers, the drywallers, electricians, exterior finishers, they get a variety of hands-on training in this program,” said Meza.
The key to getting and keeping these opportunities is enrollment. “We need enrollment. We need people to jump on these opportunities; adults and kids.” Meza’s hope is that with the increased enrollment the program can be doubled to teach students in the mornings and adults in the afternoons.
Parents wanting to learn more about the NAVIT program at their child’s high school need to reach out to the CTE instructor at the school to learn each school’s requirements for participation and what goals their student needs to set to get a step towards a brighter future. For adults interested in the construction trades program, visit NPC.edu for more information.
