Ironworker Craft Training Program Expands to 18 Units

The Steel Erectors Association of America (SEAA) announces that three additional companies have joined the nationwide network of SEAA/NCCER Ironworker Training Units and Assessment Sites, bringing the total to 18 providers.

Building Envelope Systems, Plainville, Mass., providing structural steel, miscellaneous metal, and metal panel construction services, completed its audit in May 2018. The company plans to use the Ironworker curriculum with current project managers, assistant project managers, and field staff. “We are a growing company with a lot of ambitious young talent that we desire to grow into industry leaders in their respective specialties,” said Fermin Goitia, Project Executive.

“We also have seasoned employees that will benefit from refresher training.” Using the SEAA/NCCER Ironworker curriculum, Building Envelope Systems will assess knowledge areas then fill any gaps with training from specific modules.

“The SEAA/NCCER Ironworker Craft Training Program provides our company with access to industry professionals, networking opportunities, and a solid training path,” said Goitia.

Two other companies scheduled to complete audits by the fourth quarter of 2018 are Deem Structural Services, Longview, Texas, and CSE Inc., Madison Heights, Va.

Deem Structural Services, an AISC Advanced Certified Steel Erector, provides structural steel services in Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. “The availability of skilled workers is currently the biggest challenge we face as an industry and is only going to get worse as the current workforce continues to age,” said David Deem, President. “We believe the training program will not only improve the skill level of our current workforce but will help in the recruitment of new employees by providing a clear, defined pathway for career development.”

CSE Inc., a SEAA member since 1994, was selected to receive the 2018 SEAA Craft Training Grant. Designated for member companies who are newly implementing SEAA/NCCER Ironworker Training and Assessment programs, the grant covers initial setup, training for administrators, instructors, and coordinators, and custom training materials for Ironworker Levels 1-3 or similar curriculum.

Employees of Building Envelope Systems are among the “young talent” the company hopes to train into industry leaders using the SEAA/NCCER Ironworker Craft Training program.

As a previous recipient of SEAA’s Project of the Year award and Zero Accident and Million Miles awards from the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association, CSE puts quality, safety, and integrity at the core of its services, which includes erecting, rigging, crane, and industrial contracting services. 

“CSE jumped into the SEAA/NCCER program by partnering with Buckner Companies and Schulz Iron Works to utilize existing resources, while working with Adaptive Construction Solutions for assistance with training on-boarding. This is exactly what SEAA’s craft training program was designed to do—create a network of SEAA members willing to collaborate and share resources in order to expand the availability of a trained and qualified workforce,” said Tim Eldridge, President of Education Services Unlimited and SEAA’s Craft Training and Assessment Administrator.