Friday, May 18, 2012
   
Text Size

CCMCA Site Search

Archived News

Northern California Mason Training Center is Open for Business

On May 25, the Mason Development Center of Northern California in Tracy, CA officially welcomed industry visitors at an Open House tour. This impressive facility is a modern example of efficiency demonstrated by its use of the latest dust collection equipment for cutting and mixing, its ability to recycle all shop-used water, and its utilization of natural light sufficient for students to work in the shop without any other lighting source on most days. The Center opened in November 2010 and recently started its 3rd round of classes. With 16,640 square feet, 12,640 of which is dedicated shop space, the Center is well-equipped to serve up to 280 apprentices in 4 crafts throughout 46 northern California counties. Each craft has an instructor guiding students in the trades of Marble, Brick/Block/Stone, Pointers/Cleaners/Caulkers, and Terrazzo. The building itself is constructed of concrete block with stone veneer at the entry. CCMCA’s very own Immediate Past President, Ron Bennett of E&S Masonry, was on-point for every aspect of this project from land acquisition through design, development, and construction. Take the tour for yourself via our posted photos.

 

 

Industry Fund Presentation & Letter

Industry Fund President's Letter
http://www.ccmca.org/memberonly/Industry_Fund_Presidents_Letter_1-12-11.pdf

Industry Fund Presentation (flash)
http://www.ccmca.org/memberonly/Industry_Fund_Presentation_2011.htm

Industry Fund Presentation (Powerpoint)
http://www.ccmca.org/memberonly/Industry_Fund_Presentation_2011.ppt

 

 

 

 

 

 

Green technology training criteria adopted for construction apprentices

Sacramento, CA – Starting next year, all construction apprentices in California will receive instruction on green building practices as a component of their training.

The California Apprenticeship Council (CAC) today approved integration of environmental components into minimum industry training criteria for the building construction trades apprenticeship programs, with full support from the construction industry. The Department of Industrial Relations’ Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DIR/DAS) was instrumental in working with the 23 trades to create the criteria.

“California is poised for success in the greening of commercial and residential construction,” said DIR Director John C. Duncan. “This move will help California’s workforce gain the skill-set needed to satisfy green building standards.”

With today’s adoption of the new training criteria, apprenticeship programs in the building construction trades statewide will have one year to update their standards accordingly. The green guidelines for each industry must include a designated length of training, work processes of on-the-job training including recycling, reusing and preservation of resources, and competency testing.

Some changes to the new training criteria that trades in California have made include plumbers adding geothermal and hydroponic solar water systems to their core training skills, electricians incorporating energy efficient systems and eleven different occupations within the carpentry trade incorporating recycling and reuse practices. For a full list of trades and their minimum industry training criteria visit www.dir.ca.gov/das/mitc.htm.

DAS marked the approval of the green training criteria with an advance preview of the “I Built It – Green” video at today’s CAC meeting.

“The ‘I Built It – Green’ video highlights the need for green building practices as part of a comprehensive apprenticeship program in the construction trades, so it was appropriate that we screen it at today’s meeting,” said Duncan. “The video will be distributed to apprenticeship programs statewide as well as California construction businesses and associations.”

Details about the “I Built It—Green” campaign, including a link to the online video, will be posted on the DAS “I Built It” page at www.Ibuiltit.org early next week.

DAS creates opportunities for Californians to gain employable lifetime skills and provides employers with a highly skilled and experienced workforce by administering California apprenticeship law and enforcing apprenticeship standards for wages, hours and working conditions. DAS promotes apprenticeship training through creation of partnerships, consults with program sponsors and monitors programs to ensure high standards for on-the-job training and supplemental classroom instruction. DAS annually awards completion certificates to the graduates of the 611 currently active apprenticeship programs in more than 500 occupations.

The California Apprenticeship Council issues regulations to carry out the intent of the state apprenticeship law and sets the general policy under which this program operates.

   

Login Form