Building Talent Foundation (BTF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the residential construction pool, announced a partnership with skilled trade schools operator StrataTech Education Group. The partnership will leverage both organizations' networks in Arizona, Florida, and Texas to bolster the residential construction talent pool.
A recent report conducted by the Home Builders Institute (HBI) shows the residential construction industry needs to train and place a daunting 2.2 million new workers within the next three years to meet the housing demands in the United States. StrataTech and BTF will work together to advance career opportunities in residential construction for StratTech graduates by bringing them into the industry through BTF’s career coaching and job placement assistance.
Both organizations will also leverage their partnership to attract more women to bring their talents and skills to the construction industry to help alleviate the overall labor shortage in the industry.
According to BTF, 17 recent graduates from StrataTech’s Tulsa Welding School campus in Houston secured job placements as technical trade professionals in the housing industry through BTF.
“StrataTech and Building Talent Foundation are well aligned to serve our vision of building a sustainable workforce,” says Branka Minic, CEO of BTF. “We serve the same communities and focus on successfully transitioning well-trained skilled trades professionals into rewarding careers. We are working to deepen our collaboration and jointly promote skilled trades to talented young people while also helping to fill the current demand in the construction industry.”
StrataTech’s high-tech training programs are designed to prepare students to take on in-demand jobs. The organization recently launched StrataSkills, a workforce development and retention solution for skilled tradespeople. The program aims to help companies upskill and reskill their employees to meet the changing demands of the industry. BTF will connect to StrataTech Education’s Tulsa Welding School, the Refrigeration School, and StrataSkills from its online career platform in an effort to bring more awareness and connect more people with training opportunities.
“Demand for skilled trade workers is at an all-time high,” StrataTech president and CEO Mary Kelly says. “When you can meet an industry need, serve your communities, and facilitate life change through education, you have the opportunity to make a real difference. Through this partnership, we can make a difference in the construction industry and the lives of our students.”
BTF has recently entered partnerships with SkillPointe Foundation, the Southern Careers Institute in Texas, M.T. Copeland Technologies, and the Painting Contractors Association (PCA) to provide career coaching and job placement services to students involved with each organization.
