VIA Times – April 2018 Issue Vital News, Vibrant VIews for Asian Americans in Chicago & Midwest
ComEd and partners graduate largest training class; expanding job opportunities in construction, engineering, solar power, and energy fields
CHICAGO (April 16, 2018) – On Friday, ComEd hosted a graduation ceremony for the largest graduating class of CONSTRUCT, a nine-week job training program aimed at getting more diverse candidates into local construction and energy jobs.
CONSTRUCT, organized by ComEd in conjunction with 38 construction industry companies, two local utilities, and eight social service agencies, offers participants the information and guidance needed to compete for entry-level construction and project management jobs in construction and energy-related fields.
“Jobs are the lifeblood of our communities, providing them with economic strength and vitality. We understand the importance of being a local employer and we are proud to offer a pathway to our industry for people of our communities,” said Anne Pramaggiore, president and CEO of ComEd. “We applaud the 2018 graduates and look forward to their participation in the construction workforce of the future.”
The 2018 CONSTRUCT class is the sixth group to go through the program since its inception in 2013. Career guidance, life skills training, and practical education about the construction industry are part of the program, as well as increased knowledge of requirements for entering construction-related fields successfully. The 2018 curriculum was updated with courses focused on the growing need for project management skills in the Construction industry, along with additional courses in high-rise construction. Additional coursework related to renewable energy, including solar, was added in 2017.
CONSTRUCT offers instruction and access to special sessions where students can hear from and meet company representatives. There is the opportunity to job shadow, and to attend a career fair to learn about a range of potential job opportunities in the industry. To date, more than 400 students have participated in the program, including the 109 new participants this year. The success and continued growth of this program is due in great measure to the construction industry companies that are looking to hire local, diverse candidates to join their workforce.
“All the contractors, the companies involved, you just don’t meet these people every day; it’s priceless,” said Dexter Allison, a 2014 graduate of the program, whose sons Damier and Dexter, Jr., are part of the 2018 program. “For our family, it’s been the opportunity of a lifetime.”
“I learned a lot throughout the program, but I gained the most confidence from my job shadowing experience,” said Gregory Rounds. “I’m really excited to go out there and find a job that I really love, that I can make a career out of.”
To complete the program, participants must attend at least 95 percent of the full-day classes and take the select, required tests. Upon completion of the program, participants can choose any number of career paths, from applying to work with the participating companies and satisfying any applicable union requirements, to applying to work with ComEd or employers in other sectors.
While completion of the program does not guarantee a job, individuals who complete the program successfully are trained to be qualified, knowledgeable, and ready to compete for construction jobs in Illinois.
Anyone interested in applying should contact the agencies directly. The agency contact numbers are: ASPIRA of Illinois 773-252-0970 Austin Peoples Action Center 773-378-8760 Chicago Urban League 773-285-5800 National Latino Education Institute 773-247-0707, ext. 223 Quad County Urban League 630-851-2203, ext. 222 St. Sabina’s Employment Resource Center 773-783-3760 SER Jobs for Progress 773-542-9030 YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago 773-955-3100
Veronica Leighton’s interview with Doris Romo, Student of ComEd CONSTRUCT Program, and Karina Rosado, publicist, Purple Group.
