Illinois Central College is working to get more people prepared for careers in highway construction. The college is offering informational sessions this week on its Highway Construction Careers Training Program.
The 12-week curriculum offers classroom learning, skills labs and job site experience. Monica Arbuckle is the Coordinator for the program. She says it aims to increase the number of minorities, women and disadvantaged individuals working on state road projects. She says many people in these categories don’t have the basic skills to get construction trades jobs.
“They have no idea that you have to be on time, so we practice that a lot in this class. A lot of people don’t realize how much hard work it is working out there, working long hours, and working in extreme weather conditions. So this class, we teach them a lot of that, and we basically give them those hands-on skills that they need to be successful in construction,” said Arbuckle.
Arbuckle says those completing the construction careers training program will be trained to find jobs as laborers, electricians, ironworkers and bricklayers.
Applicants must attend one of the informational sessions. They also must be 18-year old or older, have a valid driver's license, a high school diploma or GED, provide copy of birth certificate, consent to taking the Test of Adult Basic Education exam, and consent to a drug test.
Schedule of informational sessions on the highway construction program :
Tuesday, October 7th at 2 pm at Goodwill Industries of Central Illinois, 2319 E. War Memorial Drive, Peoria.
Wednesday, October 8th at 10 am at the Tri-County Urban League, 317 S. MacArthur Highway, Peoria
Thursday, October 9th at 2 pm at METEC Housing Counseling Resource Center, 2605 W. Krause Ave, Peoria