I spoke with Shelley Lamar, the executive director of the Aerotropolis Atlanta Alliance about the program. For more information on the program and to learn more about Aerotropolis, check out their website here.
Why was this program created?
The construction industry got together a few years ago and decided to train folks in the metro area. They developed an organization called the Construction Education Foundation of Georgia (CEFGA) to create the curriculum and figure out how to administer it. They decided to an entry-level construction-training program to get people ready to enter the construction workforce. There’s a shortage of construction workers. There’s a shortage nationally, not just Atlanta.
They developed the organization and the training program, which trains students on safety and how to handle tools, basically making them ready for entry-level positions in the industry.
What is Aerotropolis?
Aerotropolis is taking the airport as the center of your world. Our airport is the biggest economic generator for the state and the Southeast. We need to build around it responsibly. In many other countries the area around the airport is the most important area.
Aerotropolis is an economic development tool that has spread across the country where you take the airport and capitalize on it by building around the airport. We want folks that live around the airport to be prepared for the jobs needed to sustain the building planned for the airports’ surrounding area.
We have lots of construction around here so we should be able to get folks good jobs in the industry. So we partnered with CEFGA to start this program. Impact Church is hosting the class. It’s 4 weeks of intensive training. CEFGA already works with employer to make sure there are jobs available for these students. IN fact, in week 3 they start interviewing with employers. CEFGA is currently running around a 95-96% placement rate, so they’ve been pretty darned successful.
