Last fall, the Ardmore, Pa.-based Certified Contractors NetWork hosted a bilingual version of its popular Blue Collar Management Boot Camp. The program is a four-day class that provides management and customer service training to carpenters. After noticing a high number of Spanish-speaking attendees at regional meetings, CEO Richard Kaller decided to offer a bilingual version of the seminar.
He formed a partnership with Ricardo Diaz, a professor from the Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania. In evaluating the industry, Diaz found that as the number of Spanish-speaking workers increases, many will move into management positions. “They will be a big part of the game — not just as laborers or craftspeople. Our point of view is that we need to train this workforce,” Kaller says.
CCN used both languages for the class. One information screen was in English, another one in Spanish. Diaz also acted as an interpreter for the English-speaking teacher and helped the Spanish-speaking students with their homework. CCN plans a repeat of this successful class. For more information, visit www.contractors.net.
