Apprenticeship Readiness Programs improve career outlook in Columbus

Dorsey Hager, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, along with Nana Watson, President of the Columbus National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), joined America’s Work Force Union Podcast and spoke about the diversity, equity and inclusion programs in Central Ohio.

Hager and Watson discussed their new partnership on Building Futures Program and Driving Futures Program. Both programs provide members of underserved communities with soft skills training, financial literacy, and, if needed, counseling for past issues to improve their employability. The programs, known as Apprenticeship Readiness Programs, seek to remove career barriers and provide students with the skills needed to enter and succeed in a registered apprenticeship program. Hager noted that both programs have a 98 percent graduation rate and have created countless success stories.

They then addressed the Community Benefits Agreement Advisory Council recently created by the City of Columbus. The board establishes hiring goals for the City’s future CBAs and, once a project is complete, evaluates the success of each CBA. Watson admitted that she gets disappointed every time she visits a construction site and sees an out-of-state license plate, as the money the city used to fund the construction project will not be returned to the city. Both Watson and Hager believe Community Benefits Agreements improve the economic status of the members and improve the Franklin County economy.

Besides the CBA Advisory Board, Columbus City Council passed legislation allowing the city to provide a list of local female-owned and minority-owned businesses. Watson and Hager helped create legislation and hope general contractors will partner with these smaller female and minority-owned contractors and allow them to grow larger and help lift the community.

Listen to the entire episode to learn more.