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Featured photo: Construction apprentice Baylor Barrett, pictured on a job site. (Photo by Rich Keen, Marketing and Communications Dept.)
Marketing and Communications Dept.
Baylor Barrett’s construction apprenticeship training was funded in part by a $1.44M Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC*) grant awarded by the Employment and Training Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL-ETA) to Land of Sky Regional Council, who partnered with Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College and Blue Ridge Community College for the project. This WORC project is 100% supported by federal funds. More at: www.losp20.org/project-collaborate.
Blue Ridge Community College’s construction apprenticeship program is equipping the next generation of builders, like 20-year-old Baylor Barrett, a 2023 graduate of West Henderson High School.
Barrett always dreamed of becoming a general contractor, inspired by stories of his great-grandfather’s career in construction. His passion for homebuilding, particularly the framing process, was sparked by watching a friend complete a home remodeling project. When Barrett’s parents told him about the Apprenticeship Blue Ridge program, he knew it was the perfect opportunity to pursue his dream with the added benefit of earning money from the start.
Launched in 2023, the construction apprenticeship program offers a dynamic blend of hands-on experience and classroom learning. Over two years, participants complete 4,000 hours of on-the – job training combined with half-day sessions in the classroom at Blue Ridge. Apprentices are fulltime employees, receiving both pay and benefits while gaining valuable experience working with seasoned professionals on real construction projects.
Barrett currently works with Henderson County Habitat for Humanity, collaborating side-by-side with volunteer crews on new construction and performing critical home repairs for Habitat clients.
“I’m working in a good place with amazing people,” Barrett shared.
Barrett thrives in an experiential learning environment and is always looking for ways to improve his skills and learn the latest construction techniques. His time as an apprentice so far has broadened his view of the profession and enabled him to explore and grow.
Barrett’s advice for future apprentices? “Work hard, give it your best and have fun.”
At the end of the two-year program, construction apprentices receive a certificate of completion from Blue Ridge Community College along with a nationally recognized journeyman certificate and OSHA safety certifications. With growing interest from employers and success stories like Barrett’s, the future of the construction apprenticeship program is bright.
Read more stories like Barrett’s in Blue Ridge Community College’s 2023-24 annual report. This report and others are available online on the About Blue Ridge webpage.
*The WORC Initiative, which is a partnership between USDOL-ETA, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), the Delta Regional Commission (DRA), and (starting with WORC round 5 in 2023) the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC), funds grant projects within the Appalachian, Lower Mississippi Delta, and Northern Border regions. These grants are designed to address the employment and training needs of the local and regional workforce, created in collaboration with community partners and aligned with existing economic and workforce development plans and strategies.