A newsletter of the NAWIC Education Foundation Vol. 8, 2011 Recipient of Carol A. Kueker Construction Education Visionary Award Announced

Transcription

1 Education Insider NAWIC EDUCATION FOUNDATION EDUCATING THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TODAY... AND TOMORROW A newsletter of the NAWIC Education Foundation Vol. 8, 2011 Recipient of Carol A. Kueker Construction Education Visionary Award Announced Breaking News: NEF To Offer Online Testing! Award recognizes individuals for their passion and dedication to construction education and teamwork. The NAWIC Education Foundation (NEF) awarded the 2011 Carol A. Kueker Construction Visionary Award to Sheilah Goulart, founder and director of YouthBuild San Joaquin, Pre YouthBuild, San Joaquin Building Futures Academy, San Joaquin Regional Conservation Corps and WorkStartYES in Stockton, Calif. Goulart was given the award for her leadership and commitment to the development of innovative vocational construction programs in California. YouthBuild San Joaquin (YBSJ) is a youth and community development program. It provides young adults who have troubled pasts with the opportunity to transform themselves into productive citizens with viable futures through a unique combination of education, skill building, counseling, leadership development, community service, positive values and relationships, high standards of behavior and clear pathways to a productive future. Goulart says that her involvement with the program is a result of the passion that she shares for career and technical education. When I learned about the YouthBuild model, I knew it was the perfect mix of academic and hands-on construction training integrated with leadership development, counseling, and mentoring, says Goulart. Although I am the one being recognized, it is a team of individuals and organizational partners that contribute to the program s success. Goulart was recognized for her accomplishments during the Crystal Vision Awards ceremony at NAWIC s 56th Annual Convention in St. Louis, Mo. The Carol A. Kueker memorial award recognizes nonmembers of NAWIC for their passion and dedication to NEF programs and the promotion of construction education through a variety of avenues. It is named in honor of the late Carol A. Kueker, a long-time trustee and volunteer who served as president of NEF. Nominate a Visionary! If you would like to nominate an individual for Carol A. Kueker Award in 2012, please visit to get a nomination form. The postmark deadline for nominations is March 15, Beginning Jan. 3, NEF will be offering online testing for their adult education certification courses. Currently, students take a certification exam on a quarterly basis. With the new online testing option, participants who are enrolled in NEF s certification programs who have completed their course of study and want to take the exam to earn their certification will be able to test an authorized testing site in their area. NEF will continue to offer the quarterly testing through May Please check the NEF website regularly for more details as Jan. 3 draws nearer. NEF Contact Information P.O. Box 549/Clemson, S.C Phone Fax nef@bellsouth.net Website: Table of Contents Around NEF Member Spotlight NEF News K-12 Programs

2 Around NEF Patricia Walker Installed as NEF President Newly elected president believes in the power of education and teamwork. The NAWIC Education Foundation (NEF) installed Patricia Pat Walker, CIT, CDS, a long-time member and leader in the organization, as its president at the organization s Annual Trustees Meeting held during the National Association of Women in Construction s 56th Annual Meeting and Convention in St. Louis, Mo. Walker is Craft Resource and Safety Manager for WELBRO Building Corporation in Maitland, Fla. In that position, she carries out the company s human resources processes for the Craft employee population and oversees the safety on all company projects. She replaces Amy Berg, CIT, who now serves as past president of NEF. Walker joined NAWIC in 1989, and after taking an Introduction to Construction course that her chapter was sponsoring, she was introduced to NEF. Education is a platform I have strongly promoted over the years, and believe it is the secret to the success of our NAWIC chapters, says Walker, who, after getting her feet wet with the Introduction to Construction course, began organizing and facilitating NEF courses for her chapter. As a result of her commitment and devotion to NEF, she was asked to serve on the NEF board of trustees. Walker says that being involved with NEF is a natural path for her since her degree is in secondary education and she taught high school for several years. You can never stop learning, and taking the certification courses has helped me develop a sound understanding of many of the areas of construction that I am not exposed to in my daily job responsibilities. Areas such as contracts, scheduling, project documents, insurance issues, and several other topics. In addition to helping me learn and understand the business, being involved in NEF has given me the opportunity to encourage and mentor other members, she says. Walker is excited about her year of service and has particular things in mind that she wants to focus on. She said that NEF is working hard to identify ways to market its certification courses to other associations, organizations and schools to spread the word, make the programs even more user-friendly and promote earning the certifications. In addition, NEF is constantly investigating and identifying topics for potential course development. Other NEF Officers installed for the year include Robin Fulton Meyer, CIT, CBT, president-elect, On Your Case, Bullhead City, Ariz.; Linda Young, CIT, CBT, vice president, Construction Support Office Services, La Mesa, Calif.,; Karen E. Long, CIT, secretary, Amethyst Environmental Ltd., Lee, N.H.; Lillian Starn, treasurer, CDS, CIT, CPA, rtd., Roswell, Ga.; and Amy Berg, CIT, immediate past president, Fargo Glass and Paint Company, Fargo, N.D. A Big Thanks for Donating! NEF hosted a special Ladder Club mixer at NAWIC s September annual convention in St. Louis, Mo. Almost 200 people attended the event, which raised more than $10,000 in Ladder Club donations. NEF would like to thank each and everyone who attended and made a contribution. Kim Grimes of CEMEX represented her company, which was a major sponsor of the NEF mixer at NAWIC s annual convention. NEF presidents past and present share in some fun and celebrate the success of the NEF fund-raiser. From left to right: Amy Berg, CIT, CBT; Pat Walker, CIT, CDS; and Nancy Eaton CCA, CDS, CIT, CBT. < 2 > Education Insider ~ 2011

3 Member Spotlight NEF Courses Can Construct Your Career Char Terpsma is blazing a construction career path with NEF courses. Char Terpsma is a woman on a mission an education mission! Terpsma is in an elite group of NAWIC Education Foundation (NEF) members to have completed all of the certifications that NEF offers. During her time as a member and board officer of the Grand Rapids, Mich., chapter (she just completed a stint as president), Terpsma has earned certifications for Construction Industry Technician (CIT), Construction Document Specialist (CDS), Certified Construction Associate (CCA) and Construction Bookkeeping Technician (CBT). For Terpsma, seeing all four certifications behind her name is just a side benefit to the applied knowledge and skill set that she has gained through her enrollment of NEF courses. Under the encouragement of fellow chapter members, Terpsma enrolled in the CIT class in 2006, just one year after joining the chapter in After completing the CIT class, Terpsma forged ahead with the next. After taking the CIT class, I realized how valuable the additional knowledge was to the work I was currently doing, explains Terpsma. It helped me to have a better understanding of the construction industry. I wanted to learn more so I signed up for the CDS class. She admits that the CDS class was a challenge and e v e n though she didn t pass t h e course on the first try, her persistence and dedication to her construction education prevailed and she eventually passed the exam. A credit administrator for Pleune Service Company in Grand Rapids, Mich., Terpsma handles accounts receivable and assists in construction billing. While Terpsma was enrolled in the six-part CCA class, NEF CBT announced that it was offering the Construction Bookkeeping Technician course. Since Terpsma worked in the accounting field, she thought the CBT class would be a perfect match to her position, so she enrolled in that, too! She is grateful that her employer saw the value of NEF courses early on and After taking the CIT class, I realized how valuable the additional knowledge was to the work I was currently doing. It helped me to have a better understanding of the construction industry. Char Terpsma, CIT, CDS, CCA, chose to pay for them and has encouraged her to continue her involvement. In fact, she says. My annual employment review stated a goal of continuing with my NEF education. Having realized the benefits and value of NEF construction classes personally, Terpsma is not shy about sharing NEF with others. The NEF courses have been invaluable to my employment, she says. They have helped me understand the whole process of construction, and this knowledge has been extremely helpful in my employment and extremely beneficial in helping out coworkers with their jobs when they are on vacation or need extra help during the busy construction seasons. Terpsma would encourage anyone who wants to increase their construction knowledge to seriously consider enrolling in a NEF course. She likes to compare NEF classes to a construction project. Says Terpsma, each course adds its own piece of information to the completed project. And for building her career, Terpsma s analogy couldn t be more perfect. Education Insider ~ 2011 < 3 >

4 NEF News NEF Website Undergoes Update offers resources and easy access to education courses. The newly formed Technology Committee of the NAWIC Education Foundation (NEF) has begun to redesign and update NEF s website at The site has a new home page and is better organized. The website is organized into nine different sections including About NEF, Home, Education, Partners, K-12 Programs, Store, Forms, Sponsors and NAWIC. We have tried to make it easier than ever to sign up for our courses, including CCA, CIT, CDS, CBT, and Introduction to Construction, says Pat Walker, CIT, CDS, NEF president. You simply go to our website and select your course, order your course materials online and get them shipped straight to your home or office. Visitors to the site may also make donations to NEF or the Kueker Memorial Fund, order their Ladder Club pin and more. Other sections of the website include: About NEF includes information about the organization, history, list of officers, past newsletters and current press releases, testimonials and more. Education has Testing Certification Dates, overview of all NEF curriculum, Continuing Education Units (CEUs) awarded for NEF programs and online education programs. Partners offers links to various industry partners in education. K-12 Programs includes a complete overview of the Block Kids, Building Design, CAD/Design Drafting and Shed Programs for middle school children. It also has a new section on the Accessory Structure Project, which is the next step for the Shed Program, targeting grades The NEF Store offers convenient, online ordering information for all of its education programs. The Forms section includes complete access to the forms associated with administering the K-12 programs along with the certification programs. Sponsors includes a list of NEF sponsors and NEF sponsorship information, including levels and benefits. Be sure to visit the site often (add it to your Bookmarks ) to see the great changes that are in store and to use the handy resources that NEF has made available online. Did You Know... A study guide for the Construction Bookkeeping Technician course is under development. The Certified Construction Associate Program (CCA), a six-part program, is in the review process. Construction Environs is the first section to have been completely reviewed and updated. Block-Kids continues to be the most promoted of the K-12 programs. The registration form for this program is being revised to capture additional ethnic information that is needed as we apply for grants. < 4 > Education Insider ~ 2011

5 K-12 Programs NEF Announces Annual Block-Kids, National CAD/Drafting Winners Contests continue to increase in popularity and participation levels. Leah Potts was the overall winner in the Hand Drafting contest sponsored by the Roanoke, Va., Chapter of NAWIC. Congratulations to the following national winners of the Block Kids Contest and their sponsoring chapters! First: August May, second grade, St. Joseph, Mo., Chapter Second: Benjamin Teague, sixth grade, Charlotte, N.C. Third: German Lopez, third grade, Southwest Florida Chapter Congratulations also goes to the following national winners of the CAD/Hand Drafting National Winners! First: Justin McClain, Las Vegas, Chapter Second: Tara Shiver, Columbus, Ga., Chapter Third: Michael Cimo, St. Louis, Mo., Chapter Hand Drafting Winner: Leah Potts, Roanoke, Va., Chapter New K-12 Program Added! NEF is excited to announce the addition of the Accessory Structure Project to its strong lineup of K-12 programs designed to introduce today s students to the construction industry. The Accessory Structure Project is the next generation to the NEF Shed Project. This program is a cross-curriculum team project that promotes awareness of the construction industry. It was written by and has been pilot tested by teachers with positive results. The program is designed for grades 8-12 but is ideal for ninth and tenth grade students. The Accessory Structure Project is an opportunity for NAWIC chapters or members to sponsor the program and work with a local school in making this program a reality for high school students in their communities. The project is targeted for both general study and technical schools as well as home school or virtual classroom settings. It also has possibilities for youth programs in general including Scouting programs and badges. The program is available for purchase. For more information, please visit Education Insider is a newsletter published by the NAWIC Education Foundation. NAWIC Education Foundation P.O. Box 549 Clemson, S.C Phone Fax nef@bellsouth.net Website: Educating the Construction Industry Today... And Tomorrow Education Insider ~ 2011 < 5 >