What We Do
The Emerging Builders 10-week apprenticeship program includes a combination of experiential training, intensive classroom learning and person-centered services that support Builders’ individual development outside of the construction skills. Builders are recruited from “opportunity zones” and meet HUD’s Section 3 criteria. Emerging Builders maintains a deeply held belief that Builder apprentices have untapped potential, unlocked by teaching them marketable skills, responsible workplace behavior and holding them accountable.
“We wanted to demand that if they were going to build where we live, we should have the trade skills to build.”
Reverend Jesse Jackson, Rally to end discrimination in the construction trades, Chicago (1969).
The Curriculum
Hands-on training is action-oriented and allows Builders to learn by doing. While the construction curriculum is paramount to the Builders’ future successes, perhaps just as important are the person-centered training and services that support their individual development outside of construction. This includes learning about essential and soft skills, like coming to work on time, the importance of daily attendance, the elements of effective communication, how to keep track of time and performance and responsibility and accountability. Also included are classes on financial literacy, goal setting, learning and practicing math that is essential to success in constructions trades, mock interviewing, shadowing experts on the job and more.
Construction. Level 1 Carpentry from the National Center for Construction Education and Research with corresponding skills labs.
Entrepreneurship. Personal financial literacy training and entrepreneurship training through our partners at CHES, Inc.
Life and Leadership. Culturally competent, evidence based strategies to help navigate life’s circumstances and succeed beyond the program.