Appropriates funds to increase the number of public high schools participating in the Construction Academy training program, which allows high school students to take classes in various construction trades and earn credit towards an associate degree at an affiliated community college; makes appropriations to campuses. (SD2)

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the State of Hawaii is currently experiencing an estimated $10,000,000,000 boom in new construction that has created a critical shortage of qualified workers in the trades. Over the next several years, projections indicate that Hawaii will need between ten thousand and twenty-six thousand more construction workers to meet industry demand. Moreover, some believe the labor shortage will only become more severe nationwide as the need for skilled workers increases on the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast and in regions with housing booms. Officials at organizations representing the construction trades note that the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the industry will need to add one hundred thousand jobs each year through 2012, while also filling an additional ninety thousand openings vacated largely by retiring baby boomers.

To meet the critical labor shortfall, the State needs a multi-pronged strategy. The first part of the strategy is to develop awareness and interest in the construction industry while providing a foundational education for students. This strategy can be accomplished through a pre-apprenticeship program. The second part of the strategy involves ensuring that a larger base of candidates can enter professional construction training programs. This can be accomplished through expansion of the State's apprenticeship training programs.

A highly attractive feature of a pre-apprenticeship program is two-fold: First, it provides individuals with a head start on two-year post-secondary degree degrees, while at the same time allowing students to enter a post-secondary apprenticeship program at a more qualified skill level. Having students enter an apprenticeship program at a higher skill level will provide the apprenticeship training program with a better candidate who has a higher probability of success in making it through the apprenticeship training, and therefore, a better qualified entrant into the work force.

Second, these training programs are of enormous benefit to the State by generating interest and awareness among individuals who may not even have known such career options existed. Through a pre-apprenticeship program, trade organizations hope to bolster the notion that becoming a plumber, carpenter, or an electrician can provide a successful, satisfying, and lucrative career.

The construction academy was created with these goals in mind. Honolulu community college and the department of education launched the construction academy in the fall of 2005 in partnership with eight Hawaii public high schools: Kailua, Radford, Waipahu, Mililani, Kahuku, McKinley, Pearl City, and Waialua. The program allows high school students to take classes in various construction trades at their respective high schools, and at the same time, earn credits towards an associate degree at an affiliated community college. The 2005 construction academy class was comprised of two hundred thirty-two high school students, eighteen teachers, and two traveling instructors. The first class has generated such excitement and promise on the high school campuses that the construction academy organizers hope to expand the program to include other public high schools and community colleges, particularly on the neighbor islands.

The purpose of the construction academy is to develop interest in the industry and to build a foundation of general construction skills that prepares students for more in-depth professional trades training.

At present, the apprenticeship training programs at the University of Hawaii train approximately three thousand apprentices each semester in the construction trades. An expansion of the construction academy allows for a larger number of interested candidates entering the pipeline and an expansion of the State's apprenticeship training programs.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to expand the construction academy program and the apprenticeship training program.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007 to expand the existing construction academy program from eight to twenty-six public high schools, and to expand the apprenticeship training programs at Honolulu community college, Hawaii community college, Maui community college, and Kauai community college, as follows:

Honolulu community college $

Hawaii community college $

Maui community college $

Kauai community college $

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the University of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval; provided that section 2 shall take effect on July 1, 2006.