As part of its Phase II Facilities Master Plan, Southeast Community College is planning for a Construction Technology Center on its Milford Campus. This center will support construction-related programs, creating the capacity to expand educational offerings and the number of students in these high-demand programs, including:
- Plumbing Technology
- Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Technology
- Building Construction Technology
- Electrical Technology
- Concrete Construction
The new facility, estimated to cost $30 million, will allow SCC’s construction-related programs with space deficiencies to expand the number of graduates they produce on an annual basis and create opportunities for asymmetrical programming, including short-term programming, expedited retraining, and customized training.
At an estimated total cost of $9,752 over four semesters, graduates of SCC’s construction programs go on to be, for example, Construction Technicians, Framers, Carpenters, Plumbers, HVAC Technicians, Concrete Technicians, and Electrical Service Technicians.
These programs are designed to provide students:
- Adequate technical training in the areas of concrete, masonry, carpentry, drafting and estimating, cabinet making and house construction that will enable them to succeed at entry-level employment in the construction industry.
- An effective training program that meets the employment needs of the residential and commercial construction job markets.
- Proper training for the operation of concrete and masonry tools, carpentry tools and processes, drafting equipment, and wood fabrication equipment.
- A strong foundation of understanding in construction materials and construction principles and methods and hands-on experience with construction applications and processes that will allow them to succeed as an entry-level technician in the construction field.
The space will help SCC meet the workforce needs of its 15-county service area, greater Nebraska, and the region. The state of Nebraska is currently experiencing a significant workforce shortage in construction-related jobs. According to the 2021 Associated General Contractors of America annual workforce survey, 95% of Nebraska construction firms have open positions, with 90% reporting having difficulty filling some or all craft positions. Other findings from the study include:
- The majority of respondents said filling positions is challenging because there are not enough qualified candidates to work in the industry, with 43% of firms citing an increase in their annual number of employees in the past year.
- Further, 91% of responding firms note needing to increase pay rates to help fill open positions
- Perhaps most important to their bottom lines, 73% of firms say a lack of skilled workers is causing delays on project completion times.
