Employment Opportunities Grant Program
Construction Trades Opportunity Program Overview
The University of Illinois, through the collaborative efforts of Business Innovation Services, the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access, and Facilities and Services, is introducing a new educational opportunity for underrepresented groups through a grant from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The Construction Trades Opportunity Program (CTOP) is also partnering with the East Central Illinois Building and Construction Trades Council and several participating unions including: Electricians, Plumbers, Pipefitters, Carpenters and Bricklayers.
The Office of Equal Opportunity and Access has appointed a Project Manager who will manage the Employment Opportunities Grant Program (EOGP) grant through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The overall goal of this program is to expand employment opportunities for underrepresented groups in the construction trades in Champaign County. The Program Manager has the primary responsibility of fulfilling the work tasks set forth in the application in cooperation with the other grant stakeholders including Business Innovation Services, Facilities & Services, and members of the East Illinois Construction Building Trades Council.
The CTOP program will offer a variety services to eligible participants including:
• assessments
• career counseling
• tutoring assistance
• basic skills
• employability training
• technical training in preparation for apprenticeship examinations
• employment assistance
The objective of CTOP is to provide 30-50 Champaign County underrepresented (minorities and females) residents the opportunity to prepare for and gain access to the construction industry. Additionally, the program will run from September – June and will expand the number of individuals who enter and complete building trade apprenticeship programs and achieve journey-level status within a building trades union. The respective union construction trades apprenticeship programs lead to construction jobs with annual salaries as high as $40,000-$60,000 a year.
Within the program, CTOP will provide qualified candidates with 100 hours of academic instruction and construction training. It is anticipated that participants will attend training in Champaign, Illinois, on Saturdays from 8am – 5:30 pm, with 6 hours devoted to academic training and the remaining 2.5 hours devoted to construction training.
CTOP will also provide program participants with employment opportunities during training. Because training is provided on weekends, program participants will have the ability to work and/or go to school during the week. Having the ability to work while training provides program participants with a sense of financial freedom, along with the knowledge that a better opportunity awaits following completion of the program.
Program Dates –
a. Application date
1. July 1, 2009 (for this funding year)
b. Construction Trades Overview Workshop
1. August 1, 2009
c. Drug Screening Tests
1. August 3 to August 7
c. CTOP Classes
1. September 12, 2009 to February 20, 2010
Program Venue –
a. Construction Trades Overview Workshop
1. Digital Computer Laboratory
• 1304 W. Springfield Avenue, Urbana, IL.
b. Drug Screening Tests
1. Carle Clinic’s Occupational Medicine
c. CTOP Classes
1. 3301 N. Boardwalk Dr., Champaign, IL. 61826
- Program Instructors – BIS is providing training curriculum materials and instructors. Union partners are willing to assist with training curriculum and periodic training exercises.
- Frequency of Program Classes –Classes will meet on Saturdays for 8 hours to provide instructors (who are traveling from Chicago) with the opportunity to only travel one day per week and allow program participants to work and/or go to school.
- Curriculum – The program curriculum will be developed by BIS and Union partners. The curriculum will provide both classroom and lab training and is designed to prepare program participants to take and pass respective apprenticeship interviews and tests.
- Program Success – The program has been successful in the past in the Chicago area. Though program participants will be prepared to pass respective apprenticeship tests, they are not guaranteed a position in the construction industry.
This program is funded by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
