Members and staff of the NECA Minneapolis Chapter are heavily involved in an after-school workforce development program for 11th and 12th grade students of color from the lowest income communities of South Minneapolis.
Lake Street Works brings hands-on training to the Lake Street neighborhood in its new facility, at no cost to students, said Jess Coykendall, program director. After completing their courses, students are ready to be an apprentice in a trade or acquire additional skills at a technical school, which Lake Street Works will help facilitate.
“Exposure is one of the biggest challenges that inner-city youth face with getting a foot in the doorway to a career in construction,” Coykendall said. “Their exposure to opportunities in the electrical industry is often very limited, so they graduate from high school with no plan for the future.”
Moreover, contractors often have limited exposure to students due to schools’ focus on directing youth toward either college or the military, he said. As such, there’s “a great disconnect” between a high-potential workforce and an industry looking for the next generation of electricians.
“NECA is helping us bridge that divide by connecting our students with contractors and union representatives through classroom presentations, Q&A with industry veterans, student mentorships, visits to job sites and a variety of other impactful interactions,” Coykendall said. “Our relationship with NECA has also provided us with introductions to individual volunteers and contractors interested in supporting the program. I can’t express how grateful we are for the generosity of the NECA membership.”
Each fall, twenty 11th grade students begin the two-year program with a 10-week session studying general construction principles, terminology, safe and proper tool use and trade career opportunities. Upon completion of Construction 101, students proceed through four additional 10-week sessions studying carpentry, electrical service and construction, HVAC service and installation and plumbing installation and repair.
Students complete three sessions in their junior year and two in their senior year. The final session of the Lake Street Works program is spent exploring the business side of the construction industry. Students learn about project management, job site leadership skills, material sales and distribution, product manufacturing and supply and a variety of other career opportunities off the job site.
Field trips to hydropower stations, solar and wind farms, office buildings, contractor lumber yards, construction job sites, industry association trade shows and contractor offices help students apply the lessons they’ve learned in training to real-world applications.
Tradespeople, contractor office personnel and industry executives visit classes to talk about life in the trades, how to succeed in the construction industry and the variety of career opportunities available. Students are also paired with trade veterans for mentorship, guidance and encouragement throughout their entire senior year.
In addition to trade skills training, the Lake Street Works program also teaches life skills, preparing students to manage several areas of adulthood including personal finances, housing, transportation, career and family planning, mental and physical health, employability skills and behaviors and interpersonal relationships.
The ultimate goal of the program is to prepare students for either full-time employment with one of its construction industry partners; paid pre-apprenticeship enrollment; or post-secondary education, technical training and certification.
“Several aspects of the Lake Street Works program make it unique, each necessary for setting our students up for success,” Coykendall said. “First and foremost is the unbelievable support we’ve received from industry partners like Kristin Causby, assistant executive director at Minneapolis Chapter NECA. She’s been the single most proactive promoter of our program since its inception, and continues to offer her assistance, resources and circle of influence to help ensure our success.”