Madison County Businesses Offer Workforce Education Options to Help Fill Skilled Trades Gap

Last week, the Go Build Alabama campaign launched its updated training page, a centralized resource for skilled trades education in the Yellowhammer State.

The training page features a user-friendly directory of training opportunities, including high school career tech programs, apprenticeships, college pathways, and industry-specific certifications.

Go Build Alabama is a campaign that was created by the Alabama Construction Recruitment Institute in 2009. Its mission is to provide more highly skilled tradespeople for construction businesses and enhanced economic development for Alabama and the nation.

According to campaign organizers, the website offers the most current and comprehensive view of commercial construction training across the state.

Jason Phelps, executive director of the Alabama Construction Recruitment Institute, said that by simplifying access to training, Go Build Alabama is creating more opportunities for both individuals and employers.

“We’re focused on delivering a resource that keeps pace with industry demands. As we expand training opportunities statewide, this platform will be essential to building a strong and sustainable future for Alabama’s workforce,” Phelps said.

The online hub allows users to filter by trade, region and program type to find education paths that align with their goals. It also highlights grant-funded opportunities supported by the Alabama Construction Industry Craft Training Board (CICT), offering training at a discounted rate.

Seven Madison County organizations are listed as active training options on the website’s page.

These include:

Listed above, the North Alabama Craft Training Foundation (NACTF) is a nonprofit based in Madison. The organization provides a four-year apprenticeship and training program for anyone looking to begin a career in the electrical, pipefitting, plumbing, and sheet metal trades.

Apprentices in this program are employed by participating companies, many of which are located in Madison County. They also receive raises as they complete 2,000 hours of on-the-job training each year.

Wade Thompson, NACTF’s Executive Director, and course instructor, is a retired teacher who is passionate about promoting careers in skilled trades. Thompson travels to area high schools and career tech centers to talk to students and share about the benefits of joining an apprenticeship program through the nonprofit.

According to Thompson, a majority of the companies that partner with NACTF pay for their tuition and provide on-the-job training.

“If a kid is not interested in going to college, to me, there’s no better way to get an education, job training and experience. And, basically, it’s free. Employers are basically paying for your education,” Thompson said.

Thompson encourages students to consider skilled trades careers, as they can lead to well-paying jobs with opportunities for advancement.

“This is a career ladder if you go about it the right way. You’re capable of doing it,” Thompson said.

He continued, “You can become a project manager or a business owner. We have three or four guys who are putting people back in our program who went through this program who own their own businesses.”

Each NACTF class meets a total of 36 times per year. Classes meet one night per week during the school calendar while students work to obtain on-the-job training hours. Apprentices must be employed in their area of training as they are required to obtain a certain number of on-the-job training hours prior to graduation.