(STORY IMAGE:KHQ.COM)
SPOKANE, Wash. -Finding skilled workers to work a trade is becoming much harder these days just ask Ken Hill regional coordinator for the construction industry training council of Washington.
“Right now construction is busier today than it was even before the recession and were not a million people short we are actually more than that,” said Hill.
Ken himself is an electrician by trade. But he gives hands on training to those who don't want to head off to earn a four year degree. Putting them thousands of dollars in debt “If they know they want to get into a trade they can get into a trade similar to what we do right here and what we charge our students is the cost of the books.”
The contractors foot the rest of the bill. But the hands-on training prepares students for a variety of entry level construction jobs including skills that can keep them employed "A student learns the electrical trade the plumbing trade the carpentry trade we have a total of ten different trades that we do at CTIC." Said Hill.
Today, when we went to ctic's new building students, were not sitting in a classroom but out in the field getting hands on experience. They were also getting paid for they do “So not only are they not paying out that kind of money but they're actually earning an income that is stair-stepped up as they learn the trade that they're in,” Hill added.