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AUBURN — In partnership with five local construction firms, Central Maine Community College is now offering a “jobsite track” degree option in Building Construction Technology that provides students with alternating classroom and laboratory training with paid, on-the-job experience.
The five firms participating in the new program are Wright-Ryan Construction of Portland; Fortin Construction of Auburn; Scott E. Nason Builders of New Sharon; CWT Builders of Peru; and Dan Catlin Construction of Pownal. This new program option leads to an associate degree, provides students with industry-recognized skills, and offers paid on-the-job training. Employers get high-quality employees who have the job-ready technical skills needed to advance in the industry.
Students in the jobsite track spend the first semester learning fundamentals on campus. After that, students alternate every eight weeks, completing academic and construction lab work at CMCC and then putting that knowledge and skill to work in the field.
Shane Kimball, a BCT student partnered with Fortin Construction, is thankful for the direction this opportunity has given him.
“After going through the first year of this program, I was allowed to see from more of an academic point of view. I was able to demonstrate some of the techniques I learned to my fellow co-workers and even some of the foremen … I can absolutely say CMCC was the reason for that elevation in my work,” said Kimball.
“Our partnership with these five initial firms has been a great success for our students. We’re excited to collaborate with employers to train the next generation of building construction professionals in Maine,” says Don Varney, chair of the BCT program at CMCC. That sentiment is echoed by Joyce Fratturo of Wright-Ryan Construction: “We truly value both our partnership with CMCC and the work [they are] doing relative to the Building Construction Technology Program.”
For more information, contact Don Varney at dvarney@cmcc.edu or 207-755-5354, or the admissions office at enroll@cmcc.edu or 207-755-5273.
PHOTO: Shane Kimball, who is working with Fortin Construction, is excited about the opportunities he has through the jobsite track in the building construction technology program at CMCC. (Submitted photo)
