Report of the MCAA Workforce Development Committee
Words: Douglas NicholsThe Workforce Development Committee continues its push forward to encourage students to consider careers in masonry and to advertise the industry as a career choice. The High School Recruitment Campaign has exceeded expectations, both in response from the schools and from sponsors of the program. As we move into the second year of the campaign, more advertising will be done in a variety of arenas, and other Committee initiatives will be tied into the program, gaining additional attention to our efforts in workforce development.
High School Recruitment Campaign
As of the end of August, we had shipped "Check Out a Career in Masonry" kits to 620 high schools across the country. We have received $124,000 in sponsorships to cover these schools, from suppliers, associations and our members. We still need to acquire sponsorships for another 600 schools awaiting the program, but there are many potential sponsors who have not yet contributed, including CEMEX (a potential $40,000 sponsor).
With the new school year, the campaign moves into its second phase- career days. We will be communicating with the high school counselors via email/ fax newsletters and encouraging them to request career day visits for their students. These communications will also keep the campaign at the "top-of-mind" for these educators and continue to attract interest to the career kits.
International Masonry Skills Challenge
The Skills Challenge will be taking on a highlighted role at the 2005 Masonry Showcase, where our best and brightest apprentices will be showing their talents and the abilities of our workforce to the 8,000 CSI specifier and architect attendees. This year's contest must be polished and professional, and the Committee is working to ensure this.
$19,000 in co-sponsorship money has already been contributed to the contest from Lafarge, ICS Blount, Fraco, County Materials, Non-Stop Scaffolding, Quikrete and Multiquip. Every Showcase exhibitor is being solicited for sponsorship dollars. This sponsorship money will allow us to increase the prizes in the contest, purchase uniforms for the contestants, and much more.
Additional contestants will also be added this year. Participation is being considered by the Canadian Masonry Contractors Association and the winners of the BAC contest in Washington State, and we have added a regional contest in Region E. Other regional contests have been or will be conducted by the end of October. The three winners from these contests, along with a contestant from North Carolina will be the line up in April.
Online Masonry Career Training Database
There are currently 85 masonry training programs listed on our Career Training website. This website has gotten a lot of positive feedback from the industry, educators, masonry instructors and students. We continue to add programs weekly, and have 60 other programs completing profiles to be included. We are also working with the Canadian Masonry Contractors Association to list their country's training programs.
Instructor Member Revitalization
The instructor members of our association have not been very active in the past few years, and have never had a clearly defined role in MCAA. This year, we have invoiced the over 50 instructor members and increased their dues from $20 to $50 annually. By doing this, we hope to establish those who are truly dedicated to being a part of the Association, and solicit their participation in more initiatives. We have also contacted instructors who are not members but who are listed on our Career Training Database to join MCAA. To date, we have renewed 7 instructor members and added 3 new ones.