Summer Preparation – Equipping the Educators and Hitting the Road

Words: Robert Melgaard

When the final school bell rings and students head out for summer break, the classrooms and masonry shops may go quiet, but the work of workforce development kicks into high gear. Last month, MCAA Regional Director Jason McCoy wrote about the undeniable power of hands-on learning and the importance of bringing the right people together to make those experiences happen. He highlighted how crucial it is to bring masonry out of the background and into the forefront of skilled trades education.

To achieve that, we have to look closely at the men and women standing at the front of those shops. Students cannot become captivated by this highly technical craft if their instructors do not have the tools, knowledge, and confidence to teach it effectively. That is why the MCAA Outreach & Education team is dedicating this summer to intensive Professional Development (PD) and maintaining a strong presence at state-level education conferences.

Empowering the Educator: Professional Development for All
This summer, we are facilitating several Professional Development opportunities for instructors across the country. Building a robust pipeline of future masons requires us to invest heavily in the educators who guide them.

Our PD sessions are designed with two distinct groups in mind:

Veteran Masonry Instructors: For those who already eat, sleep, and breathe brick and block, our sessions focus on the latest industry standards, updated safety protocols, new materials, and advanced instructional techniques. We want to ensure their curriculum stays fresh and perfectly aligned with what contractors need on the modern job site.
Construction Technology Instructors: This is a rapidly growing segment of our outreach. Many schools offer general "Construction Technology" or "Building Trades" programs that include a masonry component. Often, the instructors leading these programs have backgrounds in carpentry, electrical, or plumbing, rather than masonry.

For a non-masonry instructor, teaching the intricacies of spreading mortar, building a lead, or striking a joint can be intimidating. If an instructor lacks confidence in the material, the students will inevitably miss out on the true depth and appeal of the trade.

Helping these educators become competent and confident in delivering masonry content is absolutely crucial to student success. Through hands-on, immersive summer training sessions, we are demystifying the trowel for these teachers. By giving them the skills and the backing of the MCAA's Masonry Foundations for Educators program, we are turning hesitant instructors into enthusiastic advocates for our trade.

Keeping Masonry at the Forefront: Summer CTE Conferences
While part of our team is in the shop running PD sessions, the rest of us are hitting the road. Summer is the traditional season for state departments of education to host their annual Career & Technical Education (CTE) Conferences.

These conferences are where state administrators, CTE directors, principals, and instructors gather to set the agenda for the upcoming academic year. It is where funding priorities are discussed, new curriculum is reviewed, and industry partnerships are forged.

The MCAA Outreach team will be present at several of these key conferences nationwide to ensure that our initiatives remain exactly where they belong: at the forefront of the conversation.

Our objectives at these state CTE conferences include:

Advocating for Program Expansion: Showing administrators the high-demand, high-wage opportunities that justify opening new masonry programs or expanding existing ones.
Providing Resources: Highlighting our national curriculum guidelines, technology advancements, and connecting schools with local contractor associations for material donations and advisory board support.
Building the Network: Establishing the direct lines of communication between educators and the industry that Jason McCoy emphasized last month.

Laying the Groundwork for Fall
The work done in the quiet months of July and August directly dictates the success we see in September. When an instructor returns to their school with new skills, fresh confidence, and the backing of a national industry network, their students benefit immediately. When a state CTE director sees the MCAA actively participating in their summer conference, they recognize masonry as a serious, organized trade worth investing in.

Summer is not a break for the MCAA Outreach & Education team; it is our preparation season. We are building stronger instructors and stronger partnerships so that when the students return in the fall, the foundation for their success is already laid.

Let’s keep building.

Summer Preparation – Equipping the Educators and Hitting the Road

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