Wallace State’s Building Construction program steadily on the rise

Watch recent student work at Wallace State’s Building Construction program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94cKHf3NzAA&feature=youtu.be
HANCEVILLE, ALA. – Wallace State student Jacob Okorley was scanning the college’s website one afternoon when he encountered the Building Construction program.
Okorley has been invested in the program ever since.
“I was a general studies student, looking for a major I could get excited about. I’m glad I ran across Building Construction beginning a program, and it’s been a great experience ever since. This is continually preparing me to go out and do well in the workforce,” said Okorley, a Birmingham native.
Wallace State’s Building Construction program was initially offered to students in August 2017 and has grown from three students enrolled in the first semester to 15 this spring.
Building Construction students have multiple paths to pursue. One can earn an associate’s in applied science in Building Construction or short-term certificates in Building Construction Technology and Building Construction Science.
“I’m proud the program has gained popularity, and it’s encouraging to see our students grow. I look forward to the program growing even more. We have a great controlled environment to work in and look to get outside when we can. We have many projects each semester to work on,” said Lynn White, Wallace State’s Building Construction instructor and program chair.
If one currently stops by the program, they may see students constructing different types of roofs as some prepare for the upcoming SkillsUSA competition next month. In the program’s brief history, Building Construction students have helped update the women’s basketball lockers and constructed a deck and wheelchair ramp for the Criminal Justice program.
Classes within the Building Construction degree or certificate include basic construction tools and materials, floors and wall framing, OSHA guidelines, interior and exterior finishes, building codes, on-grade concrete applications, construction estimating, decks and patios, energy design of buildings, basic construction blueprints, building information modeling, architectural drawing and fundamentals of surveying, among others.
“We believe the sky’s the limit for our students once they complete this program. We’re excited about our future,” White said.
Okorley believe his future is bright because of the change he made to enter the Building Construction program.
“This is truly preparing me to go out and do well in the workforce. I want to work for a residential construction company when I’m done here and work there for a couple of years before owning my own business. This program gives me a lot of opportunities,” Okorley said.
Online summer semester registration for the short-term certificate begins Monday, April 15 for Wallace State students with 45+ previously earned credit hours at the college. All students can register on Thursday, April 18.
For more information about the program, contact White at 256.352.8246 or email him at lynn.white@wallacestate.edu. You can also visit http://www.wallacestate.edu/programs/technical-division/buildingconstruction
For more information about Wallace State, visit www.wallacestate.edu.

 

 

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