Scholarships for construction trade training are available for Palm Beach County, Fla., residents through CareerSource Palm Beach County, the county's workforce agency.

Scholarships for construction trade training are available for Palm Beach County, Fla., residents through CareerSource Palm Beach County, the county's workforce agency.

Applicants must be at least 18 years old and be unemployed or underemployed, as well as meeting other guidelines for program funding. Training is for trades including carpentry, welding, electrical and plumbing.

The deadline for applications is July 31, and they can be submitted on the CareerSource Palm Beach County website at www.careersourcepbc.com

Demand for construction skills is being fueled by $2.7 billion in infrastructure improvement projects in the county over the next decade, including new buildings, renovations, new roads and rebuilding bridges, CareerSource Palm Beach County said. The county anticipates raising those funds through an additional penny in sales tax approved by voters in 2016.

But there was no money earmarked for construction training.

“This is the first pilot effort to fill the gap,” said Katherine Bonner, who oversees training efforts at CareerSource Palm Beach County. Federal dollars available through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 will be used for the training through unions and Palm Beach State College, she said.

Palm Beach County residents “can start on a path to earning a competitive salary with increasing benefits right away — without having to worry about student loads,” said Steve Craig, president of CareerSource Palm Beach County.

Scholarships are awarded on applicant suitability, eligibility guidelines and training funds available, the agency said. Participants exit the program with a national certificate, and even with a degree through Palm Beach State College, Bonner said.

For more information on Palm Beach State College's certificate program, attend a session at 6 p.m. Aug. 30 or Sept. 12 at the college's Lake Worth campus, 4200 S. Congress Ave. Email [email protected] or call 561-868-3700 for more information.

Bonner said those interested should sign up for EmployFlorida.com, then email CareerSource Palm Beach County, leaving contact information. A career counselor will respond for a private screening for eligibility, she said.

Broward County also has construction training available through the apprentice program by Associated Builders and Contractors' Florida East Coast Chapter in Coconut Creek. Email [email protected] or call 954-633-5093 for more information.

You can view more stories about construction education on Construction Equipment Guide's website.

Source: Sun Sentinel

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