Green Construction Training

Boreal Development has taken steps recently to deepen our relationships with Duluth's building and construction trades. It is not enough for us to only teach green construction: people with a background in green construction will also need other skills that employers in the industry seek. Our partnerships with the construction trades unions will help our participants become employed and develop the skills and networks to build the housing of the future.

MC3 participants at Lead Safe Renovator training

With both our mission and the needs of our local construction companies in mind, last spring we certified our staff to train in Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3). Our curriculum was approved by TradesFutures and the Duluth Building and Construction Trades Council. MC3 is a comprehensive curriculum that includes 12 hours of green construction training in addition to construction and worksite basics like construction math, worksite safety, health and safety on the job site, CPR/First Aid/AED, and Lead Safe Renovator. This program provides a diverse set of construction basics and green construction, supporting Boreal Development participants to begin their construction careers. MC3 training will help us work toward our goals of building the next generation of housing and the next generation of home builders.

We recently credentialed our first class of construction training participants in MC3. Over the course of our class, we had visitors from different trades speak with program participants. We also visited the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters Local 361 and and Iron Workers Local 512 training facilities. Participants were excited to see first-hand the opportunities that are available to them. We are excited to have completed our first class and launched the second, and we will provide more frequent updates here as we continue to move forward.

MC3 participants at the Iron Workers Local 512 training facility

By working in partnership with the Building Trades Council, and community and workforce development organizations, our community will have a more diverse and inclusive building trades workforce that is trained in the building technology of tomorrow, as well as a pre-apprenticeship program that is supported by the building trades. This will lead to an increase in family supporting jobs in the skilled trades for women and people of color, especially those with barriers; and an increase in healthy, energy efficient, and affordable homes in our region. All of these together will drive our region towards social, environmental, and economic justice.