Construction training program set for summer in rural Northern Nevada

WINNEMUCCA, Nev. — Humboldt Development Authority's Economic Development Officer Jan Morrison announced at the group's May 20 meeting that the BuildNV Core Construction Program is set to begin this summer.

The introductory 80-hour program is designed to train workers in construction, building maintenance and related trades. The program will be delivered through Great Basin Community College and will initially be offered at locations in Humboldt, Lander and Pershing Counties.

The curriculum is certified by the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), with this summer's program covering basic safety, communication skills, intro to construction drawings and OSHA-10 certification.

Nevada faces a shortage of skilled trade workers, including carpenters, electricians and maintenance and repair personnel. In 2019, the number of unemployed construction workers actively looking for work shrank to the lowest level in at least eight years.

Still, the interruption of the COVID-19 pandemic isn't expected to slow construction projects down much.

Morrison — who also serves as Economic Development Officer for the Northeastern Nevada Regional Development Authority — said Humboldt County is expected to see a rise in construction beginning this summer, including both residential housing and commercial projects.

One such project Morrison announced at the same May 20 Humboldt Development Authority meeting was Con Edison's Battle Mountain Solar Project, which expects to employ 240 construction workers alone over the next 15 months.

According to information provided at the HDA meeting, the BuildNV Core Construction Program supports both students and employers. Qualified students will receive tuition and tools/equipment assistance and job placement guidance, as well as intern and mentorship programs.

Employer incentives are also part of the program and include payroll reimbursement and access to a well-trained workforce.

The program, a similar version of which is available through Truckee Meadows Community College, will be available to anyone 18 years or older.

Morrison said the initiative for the construction training program started last year during a series of workshops designed to look at future workforce needs in Northern Nevada.

Groups of stakeholders, including education, employers and economic development organizations, developed committees to pursue opportunities and gaps discovered during the workshops.

Morrison also said the program has received community support from area businesses both as sources of funding for the program and for sending potential students to participate.

Sources of support and partnerships have come from both the public and private sector including Northern Nevada Rural Development Authority (NNRDA), JOIN, Inc. Nevada Builders Alliance, Lithium Nevada, Nevada Gold Mines, Desert Design Carpet One, the City of Winnemucca, the City of Lovelock, the Fort McDermitt Paiute-Shoshone Tribe, the Duck Valley Shoshone Paiute Tribe, and Pershing County and Humboldt County School Districts.

The program also received the Desert Research Institute Nevada STEM Networks grant.

Great Basin Community College is looking for qualified part-time instructors for the program. Potential candidates will need three years' experience and will need to participate in GBC's “train the trainer program.”

For information, contact Morrison at jan@nnrda.com or 775-217-0602. For Build NV course information, contact Lisa Campbell at lisa.campbell@gbcnv.edu or 775-623-4824. For donations to the program, contact Matt McCarty at matt.mccarty@gbcnv.edu or 775-753-2260.