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South Texas College welcomed 26 students to its Construction Superintendent Apprenticeship program which enables them to earn money while they learn and receive a certificate in the industry.
Under the Center for Advanced Training and Apprenticeships (CATA), the program is designed for students already employed in the industry who can meet the requirement for the apprenticeship which includes an on-the-job schedule as well as completion of the program curriculum.
STC Facilities Planning and Construction Project Manager Sam Saldana, who is instructing the course, said the program aims to give students an overview so they can understand how to move up to the next level of construction management.
“Some of them are already working for construction companies, some of them are working for supply companies or for municipalities,” Saldana said. “They are taking the class to gain a better knowledge of this aspect of the industry.”
The course is hybrid style, combining hands-on training, classwork and a certificate that can be completed in four to six months with 2,000 hours of on-the-job training that is required before students earn their journeyman certificate.
The program covers essential aspects including blueprint reading, construction management and leadership skills while providing students with the flexibility of an on-the-job schedule.
Aracely Rocha, a commercial plan examiner with the city of Edinburg and property developer, said she enrolled in the course to grow as a person and as a professional.
“Being in this class will allow me to get more knowledge and to get a feel for what the field in the private sector is going through,” Rocha said. “ To me, that can apply personally and professionally in my field of work. Construction is a big field and it’s an evolving field. My advice to those looking to get ahead would be to not get intimidated.”
Carlos Margo, dean for CATA, said the main support behind the program is coming from within the industry itself.
“It has been developed through real-life industry needs,” Margo said. “That’s what makes this strong. It’s because this is something that has been developed and is need-based and not developed in a vacuum.”
The apprenticeship seeks to address a crucial industry need by targeting professionals in construction-related careers, with those involved in the public sector such as a federal initiative, schools and industrial endeavors.
For more information about the apprenticeships at STC contact CATA at (956) 872- 6197.
