Construction Training Not!
A group of men and women signed up for a free program run by a non profit up in Harlem. It sounded great. They could learn a trade. The internship part of it offered $10 an hour and it would jumpstart a career in construction.
Instead, they ended up being very disappointed. They didn't learn a trade, there were no paid internships and they're nowhere near getting jobs in construction.
The free program run by the Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement, HCCI, a non-profit, sounded great. And It was, at first.
"When I first got here," said Rocky Felix, "I was happy. You should have seen all the motivational speakers, all the promises, for once I felt I was in the right place at the right time."
The idea was they'd jump right in, each of them assigned to a practice booth. They'd frame it, put in tile floors, learn how to put up sheet rock then tape it. Real skills. All of it overseen by a professional, their instructor.
Thomas Avinger immediately felt in over his head. "I don't know how to tape," said Thomas. "I went and pasted instead of taping. You're supposed to tape and paste at the same time so the tape can be wet. I didn't know that until after I did it and Will came over and corrected me but I was like, I ain't got no tape... where can I get the tape and he said, ask the instructor, the instructor wasn't here... I couldn't even get the tape."
Another trainee, William Verdejo, tried to help but the obstacles in their way were formidable... for one thing a paid instructor who wasn't always there. He wouldn't talk to the PIX News at Ten when we were there.
Then there was a problem of supplies... and most of the time, no tools.
"When it comes to the tools," said William Verdejo, "some of us never had a chance to actually practice with tools that are supposed to be used, to become efficient with tools of the trade."
So too few skills learned in the first three months and then no paid internship for the last three months.
"HCCI said if we don't put you in a paid site," Verdejo continued, "then we will pick up the slack, none of that ever materialized."
All those promises are clearly stated in the HCCI literature. It says, "The men and women enrolled in this program will benefit from on-the-job training through paid internships, at current wages of $10 per hour."
Ansel Bradford got referred by his parole officers. We asked him if he was disappointed. "Very. Absolutely," he said.
We caught up with the president and CEO of HCCI, Lucille McEwan. She told us HCCI gets the money from the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone for this Construction Trades Academy.
"I think we have a good training program here," said Ms. McEwan. "Three months is training which they get from us," she said. "And the other required cooperation from the construction industry is to support black men and women who need jobs in this city and we don't get that support."
We asked her about complaints the instructor was often missing in action. She said, "I can make sure that my instructor is present and on time in the future. When they called it to my attention, I went to them."
And what about the paid part of the internships that was promised, we asked. "Our expenses have been reduced dramatically because of the lack of jobs and because we are a performance-based contract and so if we don't get those jobs we don't get a payment for those internships either.
That's small consolation for these men who put their faith in the program's promises. Six months invested and very little to show for it.
Their only hope now was to have us tell their story. Getting the word out might help others.
Comments: 8
Help Me Howard:
Thank you,
Sir I just want to thank you for coming our aid showing how H.C.C.I. CTA program is treating its students. I am the person in the blue sweat shirt doing his booth alone.
Sorry to say they have shut down our class and haven’t given us any information, certificate of completion or help in finding a job in construction/maintenance.
When my class started we had about 40 students.
At the time of the interview there were about 9 students left that come in and try to learn everyday.
2 students (out of the 40+) got jobs on their through “Job Force One” 1 student got a job through H.C.C.I... All the rest just stopped coming in because of lack of instruction and lack of supplies. A couple of students I know and chat with often, they just gave up on HCCI CTA program & just about gave up on looking for gainful employment (Legal Taxable Employment) some gave up on life & went back to bad habbits.
This could have been a great learning experience for me if the instructor was their to teach.
I still think this program is a good IDEA, but lack of management, supervision of instructors and caring for the community/students just made this a VERY BAD EXPERIENCE!
I will be checking this site so if anyone wants to ask myself or any other student in my class any questions please “say my name and present the question.” Everyone is entitled to their opinions so I will not answer unless someone asks me a direct question.
I hope that if this program goes on or they start a new program under any other name they don’t treat that class like our class was treated/cheated.
Again thank you Help Me Howard
My name is Ave for anyone that has questions.
Nowadays, it is so hard to find a decent job after graduation even internship because there are some got unpaid. And due to the crisis right now, I found out about bloodbanker.com which they have all the information all of the Blood center in the United States where you can get paid $50/hour to donate blood!. This is really helpful even if it's just a part time job and the bottom line of this is to save lives. As we all know, Blood bank shortages kill tons of people all the time and it is time to spread the word about blood donation and give blood, you will never know when You might need blood.
By the way do you have a twitter or facebook account so that I can folow you.. I found your topic interesting.. thanks
Nowadays, it is so hard to find a decent job after graduation even internship because there are some got unpaid. And due to the crisis right now, I found out about bloodbanker.com which they have all the information all of the Blood center in the United States where you can get paid $50/hour to donate blood!. This is really helpful even if it's just a part time job and the bottom line of this is to save lives. As we all know, Blood bank shortages kill tons of people all the time and it is time to spread the word about blood donation and give blood, you will never know when You might need blood.
By the way do you have a twitter or facebook account so that I can folow you.. I found your topic interesting.. thanks
I've started the class in 2006 and got my certificate in Sept.2007. It took longer than I expected but, we made pus class what it was.We was the best class because we wanted to do it.It wasn't about the money.We really wanted to know the trade.Don't get me wrong, We had to overcome alot of obstacles and we did it.Even though I'm a femlale I was one of the first to get a job with school construction in Queens and I live in Harlem. Our class was like a family and it should have been a reality show. When we didn't have tools we bought our own.We had a prblem about with our stipends too but,it was handeled in a timely matter.I learned a lot from Cassell and I still do side jobs with him.I'm just saying that Life is what you make it!
I've started the class in 2006 and got my certificate in Sept.2007. It took longer than I expected but, we made pus class what it was.We was the best class because we wanted to do it.It wasn't about the money.We really wanted to know the trade.Don't get me wrong, We had to overcome alot of obstacles and we did it.Even though I'm a femlale I was one of the first to get a job with school construction in Queens and I live in Harlem. Our class was like a family and it should have been a reality show. When we didn't have tools we bought our own.We had a prblem about with our stipends too but,it was handeled in a timely matter.I learned a lot from Cassell and I still do side jobs with him.I'm just saying that Life is what you make it!
I've started the class in 2006 and got my certificate in Sept.2007. It took longer than I expected but, we made pus class what it was.We was the best class because we wanted to do it.It wasn't about the money.We really wanted to know the trade.Don't get me wrong, We had to overcome alot of obstacles and we did it.Even though I'm a femlale I was one of the first to get a job with school construction in Queens and I live in Harlem. Our class was like a family and it should have been a reality show. When we didn't have tools we bought our own.We had a prblem about with our stipends too but,it was handeled in a timely matter.I learned a lot from Cassell and I still do side jobs with him.I'm just saying that Life is what you make it!
I've started the class in 2006 and got my certificate in Sept.2007. It took longer than I expected but, we made pus class what it was.We was the best class because we wanted to do it.It wasn't about the money.We really wanted to know the trade.Don't get me wrong, We had to overcome alot of obstacles and we did it.Even though I'm a femlale I was one of the first to get a job with school construction in Queens and I live in Harlem. Our class was like a family and it should have been a reality show. When we didn't have tools we bought our own.We had a prblem about with our stipends too but,it was handeled in a timely matter.I learned a lot from Cassell and I still do side jobs with him.I'm just saying that Life is what you make it!
I've started the class in 2006 and got my certificate in Sept.2007. It took longer than I expected but, we made pus class what it was.We was the best class because we wanted to do it.It wasn't about the money.We really wanted to know the trade.Don't get me wrong, We had to overcome alot of obstacles and we did it.Even though I'm a femlale I was one of the first to get a job with school construction in Queens and I live in Harlem. Our class was like a family and it should have been a reality show. When we didn't have tools we bought our own.We had a prblem about with our stipends too but,it was handeled in a timely matter.I learned a lot from Cassell and I still do side jobs with him.I'm just saying that Life is what you make it!