Thirteen adult students who have been participating in a Carpentry Certificate course at the College and Career Center will attend their last class and graduate from the program on November 19 at 6:30 p.m.  Certificates will be awarded to the students by the Alabama Home Builder’s Association and their Foundation Board, who partnered with the Shelby County Career Technical Education and Community Education Departments to offer the course to the community.

“This class was designed to be a basic introduction to carpentry,” said instructor Tom Edwards. “Having the cerficates awarded by the Home Builder’s Association will enable these individuals to go out into the workforce and show that they have the basic skills needed to secure a job with a contractor or a homebuilder.”

The partnership between the Alabama Homebuilder’s Association, Career Technical Education and Community Education is a unique partnership between industry and education that enabled the school district to meet the needs of adults in the community as well as high school students who are participating in the Building Sceinces Career Academy at the College and Career Center.

“This hands-on program was offered to adult students who wished to learn the basics for a job in construction. Home stats are inching back up and the industry forecasts a workforce deficit,” said Rene’ Day Coordinator of Career and Technical Education, College and Career Planning, and Community Partnerships. “We are working to prepare tomorrow’s workers today and as a part of this partnership our high school students in the Building Sciences program will also have the advantage of the same curriculum and the certificate program while engaged in their classes at the College and Career Center.”

“It was a win-win situation for both our school, our students, and our community,” Ms. Day said. “We believe strongly in the possibilities that partnerships create and were pleased to offer this latest example.”