Houston-area construction employees who want to boost their careers have a great new resource at Parker Williams Branch Library thanks to a grant from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission to purchase National Center for Construction and Education Research trainee guides.
The guides will be based at the Parker Williams Branch Library in southeast Harris County but can be requested for use at other Harris County Public Library branches. The commission funding enabled the library to purchase guides in more than 15 different craft areas as well as the Core Curriculum.
Also as part of the grant, Parker Williams Branch Library will host monthly orientations throughout the spring and summer of 2016 in the use of the guides as well as presentations on opportunities and career advancement in construction industries.
Some of the guides are available for check out and some are available for use at the library only. For employees who would like to study at the library, all Harris County Public Library branches are open on Saturdays and at least one evening per week.
“Harris County Public Library system sees the value of housing the NCCER craft training guides,” said Carla Thompson, Workforce Development Coordinator for Turner Industries. “These study guides are necessary reading for journeyman before taking NCCER written assessments. The hours the library is open will be a great benefit to many industry professionals. Having a place after work hours to study is a win for the construction industry.”
The library also is hosting monthly presentations on topics related to opportunities or advancement in construction careers. Dr. J.D. Taliaferro Jr, Director of Applied Technologies & Trades at San Jacinto College, will talk on Feb. 29 at 6:30 p.m. about classes available for career advancement in construction fields, scholarships and job placement and how NCCER training can fit into a path to an associates or other degree if desired.
This project is one of 71 in Texas that were made possible this year by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. The commission awarded $10,000 to the Parker Williams Branch Library.
Parker Williams Branch Library is located at 10851 Scarsdale Blvd. at the intersection with Beamer Road. Please call the library at 281-484-2036 for more information on the NCCER trainee guides and orientations or on upcoming construction careers presentations.
