Hi, everybody, Ted Moss here with Genevieve Lyle today we’re doing another NCBIA Member Spotlight video, and today we’re here with Dr. Faircloth.
How are you doing today?
I’m doing well.
Excellent. I’d shake your hand, but you know… we can do a kind of virtual fist bump. Yes. So, you know, the NCBIA and it’s the JVS, yes?
Yes.
And what’s that stand for?
Joint Vocational School District.
Joint Vocational School District. We’ve had an ongoing relationship. You’re a member of the NCBIA and we chatted about it. But how long have you have you been around and been a member?
I’ve been around here July was the beginning of my ninth year. So, we’ve been involved at least since then and several years prior to. So, it’s been a while.
Ok, yeah. So, and we’ve got a good relationship with you guys. I guess the NCBIA helps support you through Community Foundation?
Yes, it works in several different manners. We have, of course, a lot of students and young adults in our programs and some of our construction, our trade programs and what we have seen over the years is different sponsorships. Some organizations have donated tools and supplies. Certainly, they provide mentorship with some of our younger folks as well as job opportunities. So, it’s been a great outlet and also it works in a great way for us because our instructors are here. This is what they do. So sometimes we don’t get a lot of the outside influences of what’s going on in today’s technology, in the construction world and such. So those folks, they are involved when they come and talk to our students as well as talk to our instructors, we get to learn a great deal about what’s going on now. What’s the active means? What are some of the new techniques or new technologies just changed in that particular industry?
Ok, great. So, this is Careers in Construction Month. And I think it’s really interesting today. You know, and I recollect a few years back there was a shortage of tradesmen, people in the trades. Do you find that you’re getting more interested in the trades and the kids coming to the school for that?
Yeah, it’s kind of cyclical because some years we have more in our building trades, some years we have more in our manufacturing programs. So, it’s starting to even off a little bit. A few years ago, we had a new instructor, Mr. Rodriguez, in our construction program. He’s done outstanding work. So, in that program there, enrollment has increased. What I do enjoy most is seeing we have more female participants in those programs. So, it’s really changing the dynamics. And certainly, with being in a pandemic with COVID, if you look at what’s going on in the trades, in construction, those guys and girls are working heavily now. So, we’re trying to keep up pace with that. And as we funnel more students in and out of our programs, certainly it looks pretty good, looks promising.
Well, I think it’s beneficial to the NCBIA because I know, you know, all of the different trades, whether it’s, you know, whatever construction trades you’re in, getting skilled workers to come in is really critical. What are some of the what are some of the skills that a student might expect to learn here?
They will learn a plethora of things, anywhere from framing to safety issues. Our instructors are very well trained and been in the industry for many, many years. So, they come back teaching them really on the job site type things that they will learn. So, our students are building from frames all the way up. We do a great collaboration with some of our other career technical programs, especially in the construction. A lot of time the masonry folks will come in and collaborate on different projects sometimes as to HVAC coming in along with our electrical program. So, they may start from the ground up, building a home or sort and using all the other trades in that particular program or that we they all collaborate, which is something that you will see really on the true job site.
That’s awesome. And you mentioned safety. So, I guess you guys are having some OSHA training here?
Yes, we have expanded not only our OSHA programs are in some of our trades, but we’re really expanding them across the district. So, most of our students will be OSHA certified. And incidentally, that’s also part of in the end, of course, exams. So, they get points, so to speak, from the state with that. So is really a great opportunity for them to learn safety. And I think that’s universal for any type of program or trade.
So what would you say the NCBIA can do to help you guys?
Well, I think we’ll see. Continue just networking, continue to provide us with tools. And I don’t mean tools of necessarily equipment, but tools. Yeah, not hammers and nails and such, although we will appreciate that. But really just providing us with those tools, just going out on day-to-day industry because our students are here in the classrooms and sometimes they do get to go out to a real job site. But we really need that collaboration in those conversations so we can beef up whatever we need to do to make sure that we parallel with what’s going on out in the real world.
Ok, and then something that kind of occurred to me is JVS, do you serve primarily Lorain County?
Yeah, we serve primarily Lorain County outside of Lorain City. They have so their own career technical programs. So, 13 school districts, or 13 cities of sort feed into us. So, we are Lorain County’s County School for high school.
So, is there anything else that you’d like anybody watching to know?
Yeah, I’d like to, first of all, think the county for always supporting their JVS, our JVS, our joint vocational school district. As indicated before, we are a great return on investment. We service 13 cities, 13 school districts, and we are critical to the workforce in Lorain County. This November, November 3rd, we do have an issue on the ballot issue 18. We hope that we get the support of our county to support her JVS. If we want to continue to offer personnel and employee training and all those sorts into our workforce to make sure that our community is strong, we have to support the trades. And we’re asking only per $100,000 home, $23.10 per year. Twenty-three dollars and ten cents for one year per hundred thousand dollar home. I mean, the return on investment is incredible with that. And this will give our young ladies and young men opportunities to go back into our community, not only to be homeowners, but also be law-abiding citizens who are earning a living wage and who could provide much needed support in our trades all over this county. So, I think it’s a great opportunity for issue 18 and for a mere twenty-three dollars and ten cents per hundred-thousand dollar homes. It gets no better than that. We’re the only issue on the ballot just asking for new money in terms of school districts in our county. So, it makes it real easy. And we’ve been here nearly 50 years. We’ll be celebrating our 50-year coming up soon next year. So, and we have not had any major improvements of sort. So, it’s a great opportunity for us to really invest in our county school and make sure that we’re here another 50 years and we continue to contribute to our workforce.
Well, thank you. And issue 18, that’s a fantastic issue to vote for. And I can see the return on investment. You’re right. Thank you. Thanks.