Building Skills NY

Building Skills NY launched a construction industry employment initiative to hire New York City residents to work in the construction industry, and to create a career path for those hires who have the interest, capability and capacity to succeed in the construction trades. Participating developers and contractors ask their general contractors and subcontractors to commit to hire a number of Building Skills referrals over the course of the next year. These referrals are referred by public and not for profit agencies, are vetted by Building Skills, have an OSHA 30 and Site Safety Training certificate and are expected to have a minimal level of experience in construction. (Continued on Sch O) Contractors are asked to provide an opportunity for these new hires to work as laborers or helpers/assistants in their trades, and to evaluate them at the end of their employment. In addition to providing us with an assessment of their skills, contractors are asked to assess the prospects for these individuals to benefit for further training in a trade. We also ask if there are any other NYC residents working for the contractors who can also benefit from training. Building Skills is currently conducting courses in NCCER in Level One Plumbing, Electrical, Carpentry, and HVAC. In addition to the training, Building Skills maintains a database of experienced workers, referred by industry employers, for referral for future work. This virtual hiring hall, as it is built up over time, will provide a resource for contractors and subcontractors to address hiring needs. Contractors and subcontractors are asked to participate in this database by providing referrals of successful employees who are hired on a temporary basis, and by providing job placements when hiring opportunities arise.The goals of this initiative are three-fold. One, it is an opportunity for the industry to take steps to address unemployment and underemployment in New York City by committing to provide entry level jobs to New York City residents. Second, by creating a process to enable successful employees to receive further training and access to placement in jobs when an original job placement is completed, the initiative will enable these employees to develop the skills to learn a trade and have a career in the construction trades; Third, by providing training and a source of trained workers for employers, this initiative will create a better qualified and more productive workforce for the future. This program is primarily supported by contributions.