Florida Masonry Apprentice & Educational Foundation
Words: Dan KamysThe Florida Masonry Apprentice & Educational Foundation, Inc., has had a busy winter.
The Apprentice Program student count in October was totaled at 250, which is a 3% decrease from the year before. The Foundation had expected to top 300 students, but the 2004 hurricanes had a severe impact on recruiting first-year students and getting second-year students back to class, especially in the Orlando and Southeast programs. These classes alone lost 22 students. However, two new programs have started in Tallahassee and Fort Pierce, plus the Foundation is expecting to graduate 40-50 students in 2006.
Also, pre-apprenticeship programs are springing up all over the state. Pre-apprenticeship students are learning about masonry while still in high school, trade school or correctional facility. Upon graduation, they have the knowledge to "choose" to enter the masonry field.
At the inception of the pre-apprenticeship program in 2002, there were two high schools with masonry pre-apprenticeship programs. Today, it has nine high schools with over 500 students. In addition, there are 10 correctional facilities and the Dozier School for Boys teaching the trade.
The Foundation has also added a new team member. Mary Jane Mueller is the new Coordinator for Orlando and the East Coast region.
For more information, visit the Foundation's newly expanded web site at www.masonryeducation.org.