Georgia builders and contractors will have an even better source of potential employees now that South Effingham High School’s construction technology program, led by instructor Kevin Strickland, has been granted industry accreditation. The industry accreditation was granted on June 12.
“It was hard work to become accredited,” said Strickland, “but well worth it.”
This accreditation is recognized by the construction industry, the National Center for Construction Education and Research and the Georgia Department of Education as an extraordinary achievement in providing quality, industry-led training in construction. Students who matriculate through this program will be eligible to receive national records of their training in the form of transcripts and other credentials issued by the NCCER.
These credentials are recognized world-wide as indicators of quality, relevant training.
“Industry-led certification efforts like the Construction Education Foundation of Georgia accreditation change the state’s construction technology programs for the better,” said CEFGA operations director W. Kevin Ward. “It’s no longer a wood shop building birdhouses. Students in accredited programs learn skills in up to seven trade areas and can even earn OSHA safety certifications. CEFGA places a good number of students from industry-accredited programs in paying summer internships each year.”
Ward visited SEHS on Aug. 17 and presented Strickland with a plaque and a banner to be hung in the construction lab. He also visited Effingham County High School where he recognized construction instructor Les Pierce for his successful construction technology program that was awarded recertification status. The ECHS construction program has been industry certified for several years.
“And students from industry accredited programs, like South Effingham’s, are better prepared to go to work or go on to more advanced training after high school,” added Ward. “That’s especially important since the construction industry is undergoing the Baby Boomer effect — many skilled workers are retiring, and there are not enough qualified people to replace them.”
CEFGA administers the industry-accredited program, a summer internship program, Georgia’s SkillsUSA contests in construction and metals, and the nation’s largest construction career expo.
