*This is the latest on the story we first shared in 2023.
Over 300 Colorado high school students as well as incumbent construction workers successfully trained and earned their Sustainable Green Building Certification with the help of a free pre-apprenticeship certification training (PACT) offered by the Construction Education Foundation of Colorado (CEF). The stimulus-supported PACT program, completed in the fall of 2024, supported the improvement and creation of building sustainability throughout the state, while accelerating construction careers for workers and supporting employers in their workforce development efforts.
With nearly 45,000 new skilled trades workers needed by 2027— a 25-percent growth rate—students and workers who enrolled in the PACT program could “earn and learn” a Sustainable Building Certification to either advance or enter their careers in the critical construction industry, without having to take on student loan debt.
Participants trained for their Sustainable Green Building Certification, learning methods of creating and improving energy efficiency through plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and more. Through a combination of virtual and in-person instruction, program participants learned about the environmental impacts of the construction trades, conservation methods, and ways to create and improve energy efficiency.
Participants also received hands-on education and training in CEF’s newly revamped 27,000 square foot training center that also serves as the regional OSHA Training Institute Education Center offering up to 50 different OSHA Safety Training courses.
“The most successful piece of our training was opening the eyes of high school students as to the breadth of depth—not just of opportunities in the construction industry—but to the sustainable building practices of the future,” said Lisa Seaman, Director of Operations at CEF.
“Many of our students gave feedback along the lines of "I thought that this course was extremely beneficial and learned a great deal of information that I would not gain from every day at a jobsite,” said Lisa.
CEF’s programs ensured Colorado’s workforce kept pace with increased demand based on the state’s growing population and economic expansion. CEF’s mission is to recruit, develop, and serve students of the construction industry by promoting innovative educational pathways to rewarding careers in an inclusive, highly-skilled and prosperous construction workforce. To learn more, visit www.cefcolorado.org.