Sullivan County’s new construction trades training program has produced its first seven graduates.
The first session of the program, administered by the Center for Workforce Development (CWD), which is part of the county”™s Division of Community Resources, began April 10 and ran two evenings a week for nine weeks at Sullivan BOCES”™ Rubin Pollack Education Center in Liberty.
As described by CWD Director Loreen Gebelein, each week was devoted to different aspects of the construction trades: tools; safety; materials; framing; flooring; ceilings; decks; stairs; building inspections; and more. During the final week, the staff discussed how to create a resumé and find a job.
“This legislature was able to set aside funds to allow people in our county to gain a valuable set of skills that they plan to immediately take into the workforce,” said Robert A. Doherty, chairman of the Sullivan County Legislature. “It”™s great to see people who were looking for a path to actually be given that path to a sustainable career.”
According to the county’s Community Resources Commissioner Laura Quigley, “This was hands-on training at BOCES”™ fully-equipped workshop, and these graduates are immediately ready to work with any number of employers, as the local building industry is growing fast.”
Robert Dufour, superintendent and CEO of Sullivan BOCES said that discussions are underway to continue providing learning opportunities for adults that will help build and maintain the workforce in the county.
“We are proud of the seven individuals who have completed this program and wish them the best of luck and success as they continue on their pathway to their new career,” Dufour said. “This is just the beginning of our partnership with the Center for Workforce Development and the county.”
One of the graduates, Dominic Cabrera, said, “I”™m thinking of going into maintenance, but I also just got my forklift operator”™s license.”
Another graduate, Ben Ziff, said he will be joining a local union, adding, “I”™m grateful for the fact that this is a free program and is guiding all of us on to a career.”
