Report of the MCAA Workforce Development Committee
Words: Tim O'Toole, Melissa Polivka, Mike AdelizziHigh School Recruitment Campaign
The "Check Out a Career in Masonry" recruitment campaign is now entering its third year and stage, which involves offering the MCAA's assistance in establishing masonry vocational programs. We are currently working with a high school in Francesville, Indiana for our first success in this stage. SkillsUSA and the Indiana Department of Education are partnering with the MCAA to make this happen. Throughout the year, all of the schools enrolled in the "Check Out a Career" program will continue to be contacted to remind them of the opportunity for this assistance.
As the program continues, we are communicating quarterly with the counselors and instructors at each of these schools through email newsletters that have prompted a lot of response. Some of these educators are learning for the first time about masonry as a career option for their students, and many call Melissa Polivka daily for more information and materials. The career day visitor option is also very popular, and so far this school year, we have received over 50 requests from schools nationwide. Due to this demand for visitors, the committee will be developing materials to offer free-of-charge to the presenters we solicit to conduct these events.
We have shipped over 900 career kits to schools across the country, and await sponsors for a remaining 400. Sponsors will be actively solicited throughout this fiscal year to finally achieve our funding goal.
International Masonry Skills Challenge
The 7th annual Masonry Skills Challenge will be held on March 30th at the Masonry Showcase in Las Vegas. Co-sponsors for the event are currently being solicited with a budget goal of $30,000 total. We are asking sponsors to contribute $2,500 each. Once again, the Workforce Development Committee will be integral in planning and conducting this competition. The first meetings to discuss changes and arrangements will begin in November.
Regional contests have been held throughout the country, including the Region F contest in Austin, Texas, attended by Melissa Polivka, who helped coordinate the event. Melissa will also be attending the Chicago Region contest in January. Region E will be holding its first regional contest this fall in Joplin, Missouri, and submitting 3 contestants to Nationals. Canada has been contacted regarding submitting contestants, but has not responded.
NMIA Partnership
In July, Mike Adelizzi was invited to attend the annual meeting of the National Masonry Instructors Association as a keynote speaker. While attending the meetings, Mike arranged a partnership with the NMIA which will help their association and ours mutually. The MCAA is donating the time of the Manager of IT (Tim O'Toole) to develop a website for the NMIA and linking it to MCAA's website. Also, each NMIA instructor has received a Career Kit and has been given the opportunity to list their training program on the MCAA Online Career Database. By doing this, we have expanded the scope of the MCAA High School Recruitment Program and Online Database by adding 50 schools.
Most importantly, the NMIA sent five of their instructor members to meet on October 7th and 8th in Charlotte, North Carolina to conduct a curriculum review of the MCAA Masonry Training Series. During this review, the instructors were able to make changes and additions to the series that were much needed (it has never been reviewed since its publication in 1995). These changes will be incorporated into a "revised edition" for publication. Additionally, the MCAA and NMIA will be promoting the adoption of the Masonry Training Series to all NMIA instructor members based on the positive feedback and critique by these leading instructors.
Masonry Training Series
As mentioned above, the National Masonry Instructors Association has donated the time and expertise of five of its members to conduct a curriculum review of the MCAA Masonry Training Series manuals Volumes 1, 2, 3 and Instructor version. Revisions and additions were discussed during a two-day meeting facilitated by Melissa Polivka. Suggested changes will be submitted to the Workforce Development Committee for final approval, and then incorporated into a revised edition of the training series. Although this event was not explicitly budgeted, the MCAA received the funds to conduct the program through the sponsorship donations of $1,000 each from Mortar Net and NCMA.
The Spanish translation of the MCAA Masonry Training Series Volume 2 has been completed. The Arizona Masonry Contractors Association and the Masonry Industry Training Association have submitted the files to MCAA. Per agreement between these associations for this translation process, AZMCA and MITA will be receiving 50% of the MCAA's sales of this manual until the organizations are reimbursed for their cost of the translation (disbursed quarterly to each association at 25% each). The total cost was estimated at $4,000, but a final, itemized invoice for the full amount is forthcoming. AZMCA and MITA will continue to buy the English version of Volume 2, and then print and insert the Spanish supplemental pages themselves. Chapters 1 -7 of Volume 3 are completed, and the full book is expected to be complete before the end of this school year.
Fastest Trowel on the Block
The Fastest Trowel contest is scheduled for March 31st at the Masonry Showcase in Las Vegas. For the second year, QUIKRETE is the generous sponsor of this event, agreeing to contribute $30,000. 40 former contestants have been personally invited to reserve one of the 16 spots, and promotional directors from across the country have been asked to encourage their members to submit contestants. To date, two contestants have applied and paid. Also, in the December issue of Masonry Magazine, an advertisement for contestant applications will appear. Once again, the Workforce Development Committee will be integral in planning and conducting this competition. The first meetings to discuss changes and arrangements will begin in November.
Training Report Card Article in Masonry Magazine
The feature article in the January issue of Masonry Magazine will be an "Industry Training Report" written by Melissa Polivka. It will highlight 16 training programs of MCAA Instructor members from across the country, and summarize the association's Workforce Development initiatives' successes. The purpose of this feature is to draw attention to the variety of masonry education programs available throughout the nation and demonstrate the quality workforce our industry is training.
NCMA merger
The National Concrete Masonry Association has proposed a partnership with MCAA in combining each association's Workforce Development committees to tackle recruitment and training issues that affect the industry as a whole. Both NCMA and MCAA's Board of Directors and Workforce Development committees have agreed to discuss this idea further, address concerns, and establish the details of the partnership. The chairmen from the associations' committees are planning a meeting to begin discussions.
Foreman Development Course
Two Masonry Foreman Development Courses are scheduled for this fiscal year to date: January in Phoenix, hosted by the Arizona Masonry Contractors Association, and March in Las Vegas at the Masonry Showcase. Additional dates may be scheduled based on interest from member groups.
Skills USA
The MCAA participated in the 2005 SkillsUSA Championships in Kansas City in June. Mike Adelizzi attended the Masonry contest on behalf of the association, where over 50 students competed for top honors. We will continue our support and participation in this event in 2006.