New construction training materials can help bridge the gap between Spanish-speaking workers and the basic training that construction trades require to be done safely and well.
Since late 2007, the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) has been translating a growing list of its training programs into Spanish, including those covering basic carpentry, scaffolding, and drywall. The programs include classroom instruction (available at more than 500 facilities nationwide) and guidebooks, and cover real-life scenarios similar to those encountered on jobsites.
To promote bilingual education, the training guides also include Spanish-English glossaries. And NCCER is developing an instructional series on construction English for Spanish speakers, available later this year.
Two of three construction jobs created in 2006 were filled by Hispanic workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
To locate an NCCER-accredited training facility near you, visit www.nccer.org/findcenter.asp. Click “online catalog” to order curricula in various craft areas.
