Scores of community and technical colleges throughout the country are offering associate degrees in construction technology. For example, Trinidad State Junior College in Colorado offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in construction technology that requires 75 semester hours in 22 courses, covering all facets of building and construction. Valencia Community College in Florida offers an Associate of Science degree in building construction technology that requires 64 degree credits broken into basic, intermediate and advanced courses. Delaware County Community College in Pennsylvania offers a two-year degree in construction management technology that requires between 60 and 63 semester hours of classes.
The two-year degree programs offer a broad spectrum of courses aimed at preparing the construction technology graduate to handle many facets of building. At Trinidad State Junior College, in addition to basic carpentry, courses in framing, roof construction, stair construction and other areas are the focus of specific classes. At Delaware County Community College, initial courses include blueprint reading, cost estimating and other business-related classes, as well as computer-aided design and elective construction courses.
Just as there are scores of degree programs in construction technology, so, too, are there certificate programs that require less time in school. In Ohio, Lakeland Community College's certificate in construction technology requires 38 semester hours of coursework covering 15 classes, while Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana offers a certificate in 21 semester hours, covering seven courses. Edmonds Community College in Washington state offers a certificate in construction project management that requires 47 credits broken down into 32 credits in construction classes and 15 in general education courses.
Courses offered in certificate programs vary widely. The certificate at Lakeland Community College includes construction business courses and requirements such as business law, safety requirements and building codes and standards plus job estimating and construction inspection. The seven-course program at Ivy Tech Community College includes five building courses, a blueprint reading course and a course on electrical basics. The certificate offered by Edmonds Community College is more comprehensive, although most of the courses are aimed at management and oversight as opposed to actually developing construction skills.
In California, nine out of 10 apprenticeship graduates in construction are the result of labor-management agreements, according to San Diego's Center for Policy Initiatives. The Northern California Laborers Apprenticeship Program offers a combined construction training program with classroom instruction, hands-on experience and 3,000 hours of on-the-job training. In Washington state, the Northwest Laborers-Employers Training Trust Fund's apprenticeship program requires 4,000 hours on-the-job training coupled with a minimum 320 hours off-the-job construction-related training, resulting in journeyman status. North Carolina's Central Piedmont Community College's hybrid program provides students with basic construction knowledge before they enter a hands-on paid apprenticeship program.