DENVER -- You don’t have to look far to see construction happening on any corner in Denver.
The demand for workers is out there, and now city and state officials are working with Emily Griffith Technical College and major Colorado construction companies such as Mortenson, Saunders & Hensel Phelps to create a workforce.
Just ask Derek Hirschboeck and Rene Beltran about their new jobs -- both are working for Mortenson Construction and it's all thanks to Colorado’s Construction Careers Now program.
Hirschboeck and Beltran are recent graduates of the four-week program and are now working at the RTD Civic Center Station at Broadway and Lincoln, one of the many hi-rises going up in downtown Denver.
Beltran’s dad was a heavy machinery operator and Rene wanted to follow in his footsteps. He heard about the program on the radio and went to the Construction Careers Now website and signed up.
In no time he was sitting in an Emily Griffith classroom in the Denver Tech Center, learning basic carpentry skills, electrical theory, welding, power tool use and construction site safety.
The classes are free and open to anyone.
Erika Anderson is a recruiter and advisor for Construction Careers Now and said, “you do not need to have a GED or a high school diploma to get into our class, you do have to be over 18, but as long as you are ready to work and interested in the trades, you qualify.”
Rene found it to be easy. “You take a couple hours out of your day and by the end of the program you are certified and have your OSHA card and ready to step into the field and get going on a job.”
How quickly can you get a job? Within the course of the four weeks and with a starting pay range between $12 and $17 an hour.
For more information or to sign up, click here.
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