Construction Academy

In 2006, the Pacific Resource Partnership successfully secured $5.5 million in permanent funding for the Construction Academy, a statewide program that enhances curriculum and pre-apprenticeship training opportunities for Hawaii public school students. This groundbreaking program, which is administered through the University of Hawaii Community College system in close partnership with the state Department of Education, is instrumental in developing a quality workforce for the construction industry.

The Construction Academy enables community colleges to hire and train faculty, who will in turn teach building and construction courses in the DOE. Construction Academy faculty members undergo rigorous training in teaching techniques and classroom management.

The Construction Academy began as a pilot program funded by the U.S. Department of Labor in eight Hawaii public schools. A grant application submitted by Honolulu Community College in 2003 generated the momentum that led to the permanent establishment of the program in 2006.