CareerSource NEFL donated space in its downtown office on Market Street for the first construction class to support Construction Ready, a Georgia-based non-profit agency.
Construction Ready partnered with the Jacksonville Jaguars to offer free classes to train more skilled construction workers for the build-out on the team’s practice facility and the Shipyards project.
Initial recruitment efforts focused on Jacksonville’s Eastside neighborhood near TIAA Bank Field, with
assistance from other community partners including the Historic Eastside Community Development
Corporation, Operation New Hope and LIFT JAX.
“The Eastside is one of the best places to begin recruitment and to focus on for the program,” said
CareerSource NEFL CEO Bruce Ferguson. “Recruiting in places that are close to the construction itself is really important, and those are some of our more economically challenged areas. The closer you are
to where you work, the easier the transportation equation becomes because that’s a barrier for
some folks, especially those who have a criminal background and are trying to move forward
and beyond it.”
Construction Ready President Scott Shelar said that in Atlanta, around 70 percent of the first round of class participants had some type of criminal background – which is one of the benefits of the program, along with the quick turnaround period to earn the certificates.
The Construction Ready program originally launched in Atlanta to help construct the Mercedes Benz
stadium and is now under way in seven other Georgia cities.
The Jaguars contributed $100,000 to pay for the first class in Jacksonville to cover the education of 20 participants. After four weeks of training, participants were able to earn up to eight different certifications, ranging from first aid to equipment use, and had access to a hiring fair.
“It’s all the basic foundational skills and credentials that you need to start a career in the construction industry,” Shelar said. “We’re not drilling down into any one trade like an electrician or plumber, but we’re giving people who come through the program the very basic skills that they need to get into the industry and be safe.”
There are other partners, including private construction companies, lined up to pay for three subsequent trainings in 2022 with the hope the program will continue indefinitely.
Private companies are also involved in the program.
The program is also about filling a dearth of skilled workers.
“I think companies are really hungry to find good talent and they just see this as a win-win opportunity,” Shelar added. “They can help their community, but they can also help their industry and their company find the talent that they need to continue to thrive and continue to build the skyline of Jacksonville.”
For more information, visit www.constructionready.org.