Purdue University is reimagining a degree program to intertwine apprenticeships and private sector involvement to meet the needs of a capital city with at least $5 billion in the development pipeline.
Next school year, Purdue students majoring in construction management technology can opt into an expanded program in Indianapolis, connecting them with employers and providing on-the-ground learning opportunities.
The new model means students will work with a construction company while they attend classes. Companies will assign students a mentor and will move them on-site, once they are ready, to complete 2,000 hours of on-the-job training. The students will be compensated for their work.
“It’s the first of its kind,” said Marcus Rogers, interim head of Purdue School of Construction Management Technology. “It’s a great way for the students to learn the practical hands-on stuff. … There’s no substitute for on-the-job training.”
The new degree option will be launched this fall within the Purdue Polytechnic Institute for Indianapolis-based students and those traveling from West Lafayette. The Polytechnic Institute houses several technology-focused programs.
Both incoming and current construction management technology students can opt into the program.
The hands-on experience will complement the degree program’s 120 credit-hour curriculum, and the apprenticeship will replace some credits that had been designated for simulated labs.
Daniel Castro, the Purdue Polytechnic dean, said in a school write-up about the program that it “reflects our commitment to providing students with a rigorous curriculum that equips them to solve problems, improve processes and become thought leaders, and meaningful professional education and training that meets the essential demands of the growing construction industry.”
Rogers said he hopes a good percentage of students take advantage of the extra training.
And he expects that once a few students have participated and share their experiences, enrollment will grow.
The school is aiming to begin with cohorts of 15 to 20 students per year, Rogers said. The program will be able to support as many students as are interested, he said, but the goal is to eventually average about 50 students per year.
Purdue is also planning to partner with local high schools for a pre-apprenticeship program, Rogers said. The program is also open to employers who want to upskill their employees.
Purdue officials are working with the Indiana Department of Workforce Development to apply for support from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Registered Apprenticeship Program.
If approved, Purdue can grant tax credits to participating businesses as well as receive additional funding, technical assistance and nationally recognized credentials for students.
The apprenticeship program will only be offered in Indianapolis, Rogers said, because of the number of construction projects in the city.
Construction companies are “beating down their doors” to get involved with this program, he said. The local industry is hungry for more workers and has been very eager to take advantage of this program, he said.
Many of the companies interested in participating have leaders with Purdue degrees or already have a working relationship with the university.
Several companies serve on an advisory council to the School of Construction Management Technology and have hired Purdue graduates. Those companies include Buckingham, Gaylor Electric, Messer Construction Co., Pepper Construction Group, F.A. Wilhelm and Walsh Construction.
Pat Kenney, president of F.A. Wilhelm Construction, said the earlier the company can get employees involved, the easier it is to teach them and get them ingrained in the culture.
“All of our competitors are doing similar things, if not the same thing,” Kenney said. “So the earlier we can get and talk to students and get them educated on our company and what we do, the better off we are.”
IBJ previously reported that a potential worker shortage is complicating Indianapolis’ roster of major developments. And it could become a bigger issue with so many large-scale projects in the pipeline.
Jon Hooker, president of the Central Indiana Building Trades Hooker, said the industry has met demand so far, but this summer could test whether the industry will feel a workforce crunch. The program Purdue is offering, he said, will help streamline students into positions to ensure there is enough leadership on worksites.
Chris Price, president of the Indiana Construction Roundtable Foundation, said the industry as a whole always needs more people, and he expects the need for construction professionals will only continue to grow as new technology and industries develop.
“The fact that Purdue is showing leadership in this really puts a solid brand behind it,” Price said. “I’m really excited to see the impact of Purdue taking this leadership, and I hope that other universities and other industries will follow.”
Several high-profile developments are in motion or planned to be just within the Interstate 465 loop.
Among the projects under construction or soon to be downtown are the $4.3 billion hospital Indiana University Health hospital is building, the Signia Hotel at Pan Am Plaza, the first phase of a $650 million redevelopment of Circle Centre Mall and the $289 million overhaul of the City Market block. And construction is nearing completion on the new Elanco global headquarters on the west side of downtown.
The swell of projects has forced some developers to stagger work so enough crews will be available.
“We can’t graduate enough of these individuals,” Rogers said. “Upon graduation, [companies will have] an employee that’s been with them for a couple of years and is ready to hit the ground running.”
The program is already drawing wide interest from the local construction industry—from mom-and-pop shops to international companies, he said. Companies are jumping to hire their graduates already, he said.
Those students who participate in the expanded on-the-job training will have a leg up on their classmates.
Jeff Bryant, director of Gaylor Electric’s training and development program, said students who take part in on-the-job training see development that can’t be accomplished in a classroom. Interns and apprentices have the opportunity to apply what they have heard in the classroom, learn beside professionals and receive feedback they can bring back to the classroom.
“Things like apprenticeship programs, co-op experiences, internship experiences are invaluable to students and universities alike,” Bryant said. “They really can’t be beat. The opportunity to take those skills, transfer and apply them will give those students a leg up on the competition when they go into the workforce.”
Rogers said students who take part in the program will earn professional credentials and Occupational Safety and Health Administration certification, unlike those in the baseline degree program.
Gaylor Electric wants to lead the way in hands-on learning opportunities, Bryant said, which is why the company has its own robust internship program as well as connections with various educational institutions from training centers to universities.
“What we know is this: They’re not all going to come work at Gaylor, but if they have a great experience at Gaylor, and they continue in the construction industry, either for another electrical contractor or maybe a contractor outside of electrical, that’s still a benefit to Gaylor,” he said. “We need a lot of great people working for other companies in our industry to keep us strong, and we believe that’s what we’re doing.”
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