The Home Builders Association of Northern Kentucky’s Enzweiler Building Institute graduated 38 students from its school on April 14th.
“These skilled trades people are entering the workforce at just the right time,” said Brian Miller, Executive Vice President of the Home Builders Association of Northern Kentucky. “Due to the depression in the construction industry, which ended in our market in 2011, we have seen a disparaging lack of skilled trades persons remaining in Northern Kentucky.
“Our earn-while-you-learn model and low tuition rates allow for our graduates to obtain a skilled trade, employment, and ultimately a career that pays on average over $40,000 once our graduates pass the Commonwealth’s licensure exam. For our licensed trades in plumbing, electric and Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC), there is the added bonus of licensure acceleration; knocking a year or two off of the State’s requirements for licensure.
“Bureau of Labor Statistics data says we will need over 2,500 additional new skilled trades job filled in ten years and when you factor in the quit rate of their Job Opportunities and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) that number jumps to over 46,000. Four out of our seven courses offered are in trades that are expected to grow either faster or much faster than national averages according to the Bureau. That means higher wages due to the small supply of skilled trades persons. Right now is the right time for our graduates to launch into their chosen profession. We are very proud of our graduates and look forward to their success in our construction industry and their involvement in our organization as industry professionals for years to come.”
The Enzweiler Building Institute is the nation’s longest continually operating privately owned trade school. The program is an approved education program for licensure with the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s Department of Labor and Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction. The curriculum is recognized by the US Department of Labor.
Students work during the day and attend the program in the evening. During the 2015-2016 school year there were 194 students enrolled in the program.
Over 220 students are expected to be enrolled in the trade school during the 2016-2017 school year which begins in September of 2016. The program runs from 6:00-9:00pm Monday through Thursday from September through April. The program offers two-year hands-on certified programs in carpentry, plumbing, HVAC, masonry, and maintenance and remodeling. Electric is a four-year program and an incumbent one-year welding program is offered.
The program has been nationally awarded “Best Workforce Development Program” by the National Association of Home Builders for four of the last six years. The organization has recently partnered with like associations in Lexington and Durham, North Carolina to offer identical courses.
The mission of the Home Builders Association of Northern Kentucky is to promote and enhance the integrity and visibility of the construction industry and the members of the organization through advocacy, communication, education and political action. For more information about the 2016-2017 Enzweiler Building Institute’s school year visit www.homebuildersnky.com, or call Shawn Cox, director of professional development at (859) 331-9500.