Masonry Magazine May 2002 Page. 16
TRAINING & RECRUITING
The Apprenticeship Program has been in existence for 5 years. The 3-year program is sponsored by the Masonry Contractors Association of Florida, Florida Department of Education and Manatee Technical Institute. To successfully complete the program apprentices must attend a combination of 144 hours classroom/hands-on and 2000 hours of OJT (on the job training) annually. There are currently 37 registered apprentices in the program. We are very proud to have had several winners in different masonry competitions including a 3rd place national winner. Presently all graduates are in some supervisory position. We attribute the success of our program to the local contractors and suppliers who support us. Instructors for the program are Charlie Hall and Joe Pulverenti.
Addison, Illinois
District Council No. 1 of Illinois Training Center (DCTC) is a new state of the art training facility in Addison, IL serving Chicago and collar counties. There are currently 15 instructors engaged in teaching a 12 week pre-apprenticeship, 3 year apprenticeship, trowel trades cross training, journeyperson upgrade along with multiple levels of certified OSHA programs. Current focus disciplines include but are not limited to brick & block, stone, plastering and marble masonry. Mr. Robert Arnold is the director of this 36,000 square foot facility.
Chicago, Illinois
According to Chris Laughlin, apprentice coordinator, the Bricklayers Local 21 of Illinois Apprenticeship and Training Program trains up to 96 apprentices per year. The students learn safety, scaffold training and hands-on brick, block and stone setting in addition to other industry-related training. This spring and summer, students will have live work opportunities by doing repair work for the Bethel United Church of Chris in Elmhurst, Illinois and building a concession stand for the Lynwood Little League for the Township of Lynwood.
Franklin, Kentucky
Bobby Poteet, first year teacher at Franklin Simpson High School, has 90 students who participate in the program. The masonry program at Franklin Simpson High School has been around for almost 30 years. All students get hands on opportunity and on the job training through the school. Some projects the masonry class has done is laying brick on the superintendent building, block on baseball dugouts, and just last year, the class laid block on the new dugouts on the softball field. Not only do students get real life experience training, but they also get a chance to compete through SkillsUSA-VICA. Many students get a chance to compete in the state level, and many of those students have continued on to the national level. Franklin Simpson High School has had a national contestant for the past two years.
Bel Air, Maryland
Harford Technical High School is located in Bel Air, Maryland. The Brick and Block Masonry Program has been under the direction of Gary W. Siler since 1988. Approximately 30 students complete the competency-based program each year. The students are active in Skills USA - VICA and have placed first in the state competition three of the past six years. Two students have competed at the national competition with good results. In 1995, James Lux placed fifth and in 2001 Brian Anderson was second, taking home a silver medal. This program consists almost entirely of hands-on learning as an application of knowledge acquired in the classroom. Masonry students, in conjunction with the other construction students, have built three houses that were sold to private citizens in the Harford County community. Profits generated from these sales were used to purchase updated tools and equipment. Other projects by the masonry students include Habitat for Humanity, marquees for numerous schools and churches, and even classrooms, all within Harford County. The students of the Brick and Block Masonry Program have even built dug-outs at Harford Community College in Bel Air, Maryland, as well as for other Harford County high schools. The most visible projects have been markers on local roads, such as "Welcome to Edgewood" on U.S. Route 40 and two Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway signs along Maryland Route 24.
Severn, Maryland
The Center of Applied Technology North opened in 1974. There are seven feeder schools in the north end of Anne