Ariz. DOT workshop focuses on bringing more women, minorities into construction

Updated Dec 7, 2018

Arizona State Welcome SignThe Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) is working with community college leaders and contractors to bring more women and minorities into the construction industry through its construction academy, tucson.com reports.

“A lot of the contractors are concerned that projects are increasing, opportunities are increasing in the Valley and Arizona, but the workforce does not have the skills that they need to go forth,” ADOT’s workforce-development program manager Corey Foster told the news agency, adding that bringing women and minorities into the construction academy helps to fill that need. “The academy kind of bridges the gap.” But he also added that women lack access and face discrimination in the male-dominated industry.

Iris Bost, a 2017 construction academy graduate, now teaches safety classes for ADOT at Gila Community College. The college offers hands-on training, which allows students to work at various stations and hone their skills at a variety of trades, including machinery work, wood building and welding.

“As an instructor, I just try to remind my students that I’ve been in their seats, that I know how it is, and that there is a way to further their education if they just give it a chance and take the time to do it,” Bost told the news agency. “I got the building trades and skills that I need to be on the job.”

Programs are tailored to the student’s schedule, preference, and experience level. Sessions range from one week to 16 weeks and are available in the evenings. Each person can choose a specific course, such as mathematics or blueprint reading, to correlate to the job they desire. Graduates receive certifications, which can lead to higher pay, and the personal equipment they need to be successful at their job.

Foster told the news agency that more than 200 women have graduated from the program since it began in 2014. In addition, 301 Native Americans who graduated within the past year were placed directly into jobs.