Laying a foundation

CTE teachers train students to fill masonry skills gap

SANDERS

Marcus Forrester, a teacher at Valley High School in Sanders, Arizona, said masonry work is building up in the Phoenix area, but the industry needs skilled workers to keep up with demand.

At a masonry skills training at VHS on Sept. 28, educators and students came together to train on the skills the industry needs.

“The industry is like going, ‘Guys, we need people desperately,’” Forrester said. “We were like, ‘Come up here, partner up with us, and we’ll make it happen.’”

The event brought together students from Window Rock High School, Valley High School, Piñon High School, Ganado High School, Monument Valley High School, and Red Mesa High School. Career and technical education teachers from each school brought three students each for the training session run by instructors from Oldcastle and Superlite Block, construction companies in Phoenix.

Northeast Arizona Technological Institute of Vocational Education and the Arizona Masonry Guild also collaborated to make the training session become a reality. Forrester said one of the motivations for the masonry guild came from their need to put skilled workers on projects in the area of Phoenix and to fill slots in their apprenticeship programs.

“They have an apprenticeship program. They’re actually three years behind on their apprenticeship program. They don’t have enough people to actually fill the needs of the jobs down in the valley, and so they’re reaching out,” Forrester said.

He added that he was hearing that construction projects in the valley are falling behind as they wait for masons.

“Jobs that are scheduled back to 2013 haven’t even got started yet,” Forrester said.

Having instructors and materials provided by area industry and trade organizations puts the skills developed by NATIVE students right up front for industry professionals.

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