BUD offers enrollees a comprehensive introduction to construction employment and careers and provides relevant national skills certification training, with a particular focus on job safety. Once participants have successfully completed the training they are enrolled in the BCTC employer/contractor database. The database serves as a pool of pre-qualified workers at various skill levels and proficiencies and is used by the construction owners and others in supporting the workforce inclusion goals that they are expected to meet and/or exceed, particularly in public supported construction projects.

The BCTC team includes core construction trades and their experienced JATCs with long histories of successful training and employment in middle-skills jobs in construction that offer excellent wages and benefits and career advancement.  The BCTC oversees the management, training, data collection, assessment, and certified skill training and evaluation components of the program.

All participants will complete 40 hours of construction Foundation Skills Program. Because several training facilities are located beyond reach of public transportation, travel assistance is provided to ensure program completion. The BCTC and its Joint Apprenticeship Program (JAP) training partners will provide four (4) weeks of construction pre-apprenticeship training for the BUD program.

Upon enrollment in the program, participants will be screened and tested. Participants who test below these standards will be offered remedial training by SLATE. By limiting enrollment in the program to work-ready participants and actual construction employment opportunities on hand, BUD program ensures its success – program’s current placement rate is exceeding 85 percent.

Eligible participants must be:

• 18 years of age or older
• Laid off or Long-term unemployed
• Able to pass a drug test.

To apply:

Interested individuals can come to SLATE (1520 Market St., 3rd Floor, St. Louis, MO 63103) or other county workforce development agencies, Monday to Friday. They will be asked to register, fill out an application and complete a quick assessment.