New buildings trades training center opens to enthusiastic crowd
TC Palm, June 5, 2010
FORT PIERCE — The atmosphere: joyful, with a big splash of hope. And this in a room filled with people who make their living in the building trades — a group that hasn’t seen much reason to be happy in an economy turned sour on construction.
The St. Lucie County Green Collar Task Force building trades training center opened Saturday to a standing-room-only crowd and standing ovations from more than 300 would-be trainees, trainers, employers, partners and participating union members.
The center, on U.S. 1 in Fort Pierce in the former Sam’s Club, will provide apprentice and certification training for the building trades. The apprenticeship programs will last four to five years. Cross-trade certification training such as safety for individual workers is expected to begin this month.The center in St. Lucie County, built with volunteer labor, donations and a grant, will make it possible for workers to get training that otherwise would cost them a 120-mile or more round-trip several times a week.
