Projecting increased demand for its apprenticeship and
career development programs, the Keystone Chapter of Associated Builders and
Contractors Inc. ceremonially broke ground Thursday on a $5.2 million expansion
of its Rapho Township facility.
ABC is adding 20,000 square feet and renovating 11,000
square feet of existing space in its building in the Rapho Business Park.
“We are essentially tripling our total footprint, most of
which is going to dedicated or accessible for educational offerings,” said John
“Jack” Zimmer, chapter president and CEO.
The entire project is slated for February 2015 completion,
Zimmer said. Nearly 50 members are donating labor and materials to reduce the
chapter’s out-of-pocket costs to $3.8 million.
The chapter is projecting that its current enrollment of 230
apprentices in five trades will be more than 400 by 2019, said Dave Sload,
director of education. ABC Keystone offers carpentry, electrical, HVAC, sheet
metal and plumbing and pipefitting.
The chapter is looking to expand to nine trades, including
an off-site heavy equipment operator program. It will split plumbing and
pipefitting and add welding and millwright apprentices, Sload said.
“Even though we’re not in the epicenter of production, it
will be a statewide effort to meet manpower needs,” Zimmer said, citing
anticipated growth in the commonwealth’s natural gas industry. “We think
Pennsylvania is on the precipice for big manpower demand.”
ABC Keystone is also known for its career development
training, which ranges from safety and blueprint reading to health care
construction and management education. The chapter trains about 1,200 students
per year, Sload said. Officials expect that area will double by 2019.
The Lancaster County-based chapter has about 625 members in
11 counties. It has operated on Shellyland Road since 1978, having last
expanded in 1992.
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