Clark College vice president to talk about labor shortage solution

An entry-level pre-apprentice training program at Clark College will be the featured topic during a Southwest Washington Contractors Association meeting.

The “Shop Talk” about the pre-apprenticeship and worker retraining programs will be held Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 7:30 a.m., at Mill Creek Pub, 1710 S.W. Ninth Ave., Ste. 101, Battle Ground.

Tim Cook, the vice president of instruction at Clark, will be the keynote speaker. The cost to attend, $15 per person, will include a breakfast buffet.

The Trades Pre-Apprenticeship Program will run for 11 weeks, beginning this fall. It will include essential math for the trades, first aid, flagging and Occupational Health and Safety. The cost to participate in the program will be $25, plus an application fee.

The pre-apprenticeship and worker retraining programs are designed to prepare adults, age 18 and older, to competitively enter into the workforce or apprentice training, or attend Clark College.

They are aimed at addressing the shortage in skilled labor that the construction industry faces and to provide a reliable training center where construction companies can send candidates for basic certification courses.

SWCA members can register for the event by visiting www.swca.org. Non-members can call 694-7922.