Port Authority sponsors new construction careers program

Real Estate Weekly, March 2, 2005

To help New York and New Jersey residents find well-paying jobs in today's competitive marketplace, the Port Authority is sponsoring a preapprenticeship training program to provide valuable skills for those pursuing careers in construction.

In the past three years, more than 750 people completed the program.

Port Authority Chairman Anthony R. Coscia said, "By providing students with the skills necessary to get jobs in the construction industry, we are helping to keep this region's job market strong and its economy growing. This program provides students with the personal, academic and vocational skills they need, and graduates often have the opportunity to become full-fledged professionals."

The PA provides $100,000 annually to Construction Skills 2000--a nonprofit organization established by the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York and the Building Trades Employers' Association of New York City--to administer a preparatory training program for high school students, giving them preferred access to apprenticeship programs in the building and construction industry. The PA also provides $100,000 per year to be split equally between two similar programs operated by the NJ Institute of Social Justice and the Construction Industry Advancement Program.