KANSAS CITY, Mo. – December marks another important milestone in the New Terminal project at Kansas City International Airport: the start of the Workforce Training Program. Part of the Edgemoor Team’s commitment to building Kansas City’s future workforce, the program is designed to eliminate barriers and create a pathway to a potentially lifelong career in the construction industry.
In partnership with the Full Employment Council (FEC), Edgemoor received an overwhelming response from jobseekers, as nearly 600 individuals interested in access to good paying jobs and a new career in the construction industry completed applications at three FEC locations throughout the city.
“Growing Kansas City’s workforce is a promise we made at the outset of this project, and an essential component of our team’s New Terminal Workforce Enhancement Program,” said Geoff Stricker, Edgemoor’s Senior Managing Director. “We're extremely proud to see it come to fruition. This first-of-its-kind program is possible because of the hard work and thoughtful planning of the Community Workforce Agreement Advisory Committee and our trade partners. We are elated to see the community's overwhelming interest in the program and look forward to training the first cohort, and most importantly, putting more Kansas Citians to work on the project.”
The three-week training curriculum will focus on construction math skills, jobsite safety, first aid training, inclusion and diversity training, financial literacy, teamwork, communication and the importance of maintaining a positive attitude. Each participant will be given a $400 per week stipend while enrolled in the program, as well as a bus pass and assistance with extended childcare hours. Upon successful completion of the program, participants will be paid a prevailing wage while on the payroll of the sponsoring trade contractor and will work on the New Terminal project.
The Community Workforce Agreement Program Advisory Committee, which is comprised of a cross-section of labor and community leaders, is reviewing applications before candidates are brought in for face-to-face pre-screening interviews.
Applicants who meet the specifications for the trades currently recruiting will be contacted by e-mail and phone in the coming week for an interview. Pre-screening interviews will take place at the Full Employment Council office at 1740 Paseo Blvd. over three days: Monday, December 30, 2019, Friday, January 3, 2020, or Monday, January 6, 2020. Following the initial interviews, top candidates will be selected for a final in-person interview with prospective hiring trade contractors.
Individuals selected for the first Workforce Training class will be announced shortly following the January 6th interviews. Class is set to begin on January 20. Twenty to 25 participants will be enrolled in the first cohort. Applicants who aren’t accepted for the first class will remain in the candidate pool for possible selection in the 11 remaining training cohorts planned for the project. Future cohorts and application events will be timed strategically with the project’s construction schedule to ensure graduates can get right to work.
“We are thrilled for this program to come together and to see the level of interest and enthusiasm in the community,” said Mark Goodwin, Clark | Weitz | Clarkson Vice President in charge of design and construction on the New Terminal. “We are committed to this being a fair, impartial and unbiased selection process and can’t wait to move forward with the first group of students.”
The Edgemoor Team plans to train at least 160 people through the Workforce Training Program and put them to work on the project. In addition to jobs on the New Terminal, those who applied through the Full Employment Council will now be considered for other employment opportunities in the Kansas City metro region.
“Once they heard about the turnout and level of skill shown by the applicants, we have been getting requests from other employers interested in these potential applicants for their employment opportunities,” said Clyde McQueen, President and CEO of the Full Employment Council. “What made the difference in attracting this level of applicant was offering the weekly stipend while in training, and help with transportation and extended childcare hours, recognizing that trainees need that extra financial support while in training.”
“What we’re witnessing is the creation of the workforce of the future in Kansas City. This is an opportunity for people to truly change the trajectory of their lives,” said Bridgette Williams, executive director of the Heavy Constructors Association of Greater Kansas City and a member of the Community Workforce Agreement Program Advisory Committee. “They will learn skills to set them up with a solid, well-paying career with meaningful benefits. This is a rare opportunity for the applicants, the contractors and the unions, and I’m pleased to see so many Kansas Citians taking hold of their futures in this way. I’m proud to work with the Edgemoor Team in support of this effort.”
