Training may lead to commercial construction employment

ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. — A new program is in place at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College thanks to a state grant.

Cody Troutman is learning the tools of the trade and hoping to land a job in commercial construction.

Troutman and the others here are part of a training class offered by the college.

Troutman is homeless and the training is more than just a chance to find work.

"In between, trying to find a place, working at McDonald's, trying to work this and that to get a place," Troutman said.

A construction company, Wayne Brothers, is doing the training to help get people back to work.

Amanda Roberts used to have a job in accounting, but now she's hoping the training will lead to some kind of job in construction.

"It will give great experience for other positions," Roberts said.

Milton Chicas is with the construction company and helping to lead the program.

He said there aren't enough people ready to do this type of work and this training is rare.

"Basically, a program like this isn't available in North Carolina or South Carolina," Chicas said. "This is the first time a program like this has been delivered. There's not a college where you can go to. Now you have an answer to that."

The grant is for $300,000. Wayne Brothers said in most cases, people in the training will land jobs – either with their company or a similar one.

WSOC