More people will have access to careers in highway construction this fall thanks to funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. The Texas Construction Career Academy, a two-week program planned by the Office of Continuing Education, exposes participants to various aspects of the highway construction industry including training in heavy equipment and skid steer use. An OSHA construction course, flaggers in a work zone preparation and an introduction to geographical information systems is an additional part of the program. The curriculum also includes soft skills training in the areas of job application and interview techniques, personal finance, money management, personal development and mentoring.
This will be the second year that PVAMU will host the program. The inaugural class of graduates included 15 students, many who landed employment immediately following completion of the academy.
“The success of the 2013 class encouraged us not only to plan a course again this year but to expand it to Waller county,” said Rebecca Faison, director of the PVAMU Office of Continuing Education. “With so many highway construction projects throughout our region, it was important to us to identify and train a good group of capable and willing candidates that live in our surrounding communities.”
The PVAMU Northwest Houston Center will host the career program Oct.13 – 24 and the courses will move to the main campus Oct. 27 – Nov. 7. All classes are scheduled from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Participants must have their own transportation and complete a short application process to be considered for the program. Additional information can be found at www.pvamu.edu/oce or by contacting Valerie Mendoza at (713) 790-7281.
-S. Reed