RAFT RAINING CENTER F THE OASTAL BEND
DUCATION PIPELINE ROM THE CLASSROOM O THE WORKFORCE
CONTRIBUTED BY : DR . MICHAEL SANDROUSSI PRESIDENT , CRAFT TRAINING CENTER OF THE COASTAL BEND
Educational post-secondary institutions are the key in providing an educated and skilled workforce . Not only are the local community colleges doing their part , but the Craft Training Center of the Coastal Bend ( CTCCB ) is also responding to the increased demands for middle-skill workers . CTCCB is an elite NCCER training facility that teaches industrial crafts where high school students and adults earn valuable national training credentials , certifications and licenses in a Department of Labor Apprenticeship Program . Getting students ready for the workforce is the main objective of the CTCCB , but giving Coastal Bend high school students a jump start on future careers immediately after high school graduation is the ultimate goal .
Starting students through the education pipeline begins with summer programs for middle school students in Grades 6-8 at the CTCCB . The two week summer program gives these youth a hands-on experience in welding , plumbing , electricity rigging , scaffold-building , fall-protection , safety , pipefitting , hand tools , power tools and construction mathematics plus it also teaches students soft skills like being on time , shaking hands , respect , establishing eye contact , and speaking clearly . The
23 BUSINESS MATTERS APRIL 2017