ST. LOUIS — “Jobs in the carpentry industry, iron workers, pipe fitters, electricians, you name it,” says Edward White, SWIC HCCTP Program Coordinator.
The question of ‘what do you want to be when you grow up’ can be a daunting one. But, at Southwestern Illinois College, students have the opportunity to explore career options that they might have never even considered!
“I learned how to do drywall too, that is my favorite thing currently and that is what we are working on, too,” says DeShaun Fountain, student.
The Free Highway Construction Careers Training Program at SWIC prepares students for a world of career possibilities in the construction field. The program includes both book work as well as hands-on projects. Students learn more than just highway construction; they also learn carpentry, framing, drywall installation, and how to use manual and power tools.
“It is not only a free program, but we also pay 10 dollars an hour while they are training,” says White.
Program Coordinator, Edward White, explains the purpose is to get students into union apprenticeships as the tradesmen are aging out. White says union construction trade is not merely a job, but a career with good pay, insurance and retirement.
“I am trying to get into carpentry,” says George Coleman, student.
“The most challenging part was putting up this wall, putting up this whole building, it took a couple days, it was very challenging,” says Fountain.
“It was not easy at all, we had to come here as a group and build it together, that is basically it though,” says Coleman.
SWIC also has its focus on diversity in the field.
“The importance is that we introduce minorities and females into the trade, and we try to get them into the trade,” says White.
“The reason I decided to come into this program was to find something challenging and something I have never done before, an opportunity to try something new,” says Zariya Gates, student.
For Zariya Gates, this program gave her the chance to try something she has always wanted to do. The student encourages other women to consider doing the same.
“I would tell them to do this trade, actually do something, embrace your women power,” says Gates. “We have to come together as one, we have to do the things we actually want to do; if we do not take control of the things we want to do, if we do not go for it, where would we be at?”
SWIC prepares these students for jobs such as general laborer, building and maintaining temporary support structures, cleaning job sites, and more. All of these opportunities could not be possible without SWIC, and their impactful instructors behind the tools.
Classes start in February. You can learn more information at swic.edu/hcctp or call 618-874-6528.
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