 The ReUse Institute (TRI), the training and consulting arm of TRP, has been contacted in recent months by several municipalities, colleges, and employment-development organizations looking to provide job-training programs for their constituents. They recognize that deconstruction is an ideal portal through which qualified individuals can find well-paying, rewarding jobs in the green building industry.
Two trainings are now scheduled: a 14-day program in Muncie, Indiana, kicks off on September 21, and a similar program begins in Kansas City, Missouri, on October 12.
In Muncie we will be training ex-offenders referred by the Delaware County Community Corrections Department with financial assistance through a Community Development Block Grant and Recovery Act funds. In Kansas City, the Metropolitan Community College will work with the Kansas City Full Employment Council to identify students. Funding has been provided by a grant from the State of Missouri Department of Economic Development.
Students will participate in a combination of classroom and on-the-job training sessions. In the classroom, they'll be introduced to tools and deconstruction basics and participate in problem-solving exercises and job-strategy contests. In the field, they will apply their skills and knowledge to the deconstruction of a building. The training covers:
- Personal and team safety
- Proper use of tools and equipment
- Jobsite logistics and organization
- Deconstruction sequencing
- Efficient handling of debris
- Detaching, preserving, loading and shipping of building components
- Teamwork strategies
Participants who demonstrate leadership ability will receive an additional two days of crew chief training.
Both cities plan to continue deconstruction training at local community colleges: Ivy Tech in Muncie and Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City. Trainings of similar length and scope are on tap for early next year in both cities. Meanwhile, additional training programs are in the planning stages for San Mateo, San Francisco, Chicago, New Haven and Hartford, Connecticut.
Unlike other training and consulting organizations that provide a service and then leave the area, TRP maintains a presence by hiring local TRP managers who in turn recruit and train private-sector contractors in deconstruction and building-materials salvage. In this way graduates of our training programs are ensured reasonable employment opportunities.
Note: The deconstruction training program featured in last month's e-letter and scheduled for October 22-23 in Los Angeles has been postponed due to scheduling conflicts.
2009 ReUse Contest
The 2009 ReUse Contest is now closed. A big THANK YOU! to everyone who participated. Winners will be notified in the coming weeks, and will also be featured on our website.
The 2010 ReUse Contest is now open. See contest rules and procedures at thereusepeople.org/ReUse_Contest
Every Monday
In 2008, TRP initiated "Every Monday," a program that enables nonprofit organizations and schools to obtain used materials at discounts ranging from 25 to 90 percent, and in some cases FREE, by shopping at the TRP Oakland and Los Angeles (Pacoima) retail-warehouses on Mondays only.
Since the start of this program, dozens of East Bay organizations have saved thousands of dollars on purchases and received, on average, over $200 worth of excellent used materials absolutely free.
How it works: Bring a copy of your IRS exemption letter or, in the case of schools, a note on school or district letterhead, and TRP will automatically register you to participate in these Every Monday deals.
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