Rhode Island Building Officials Association (RIBOA) President Wayne Pimental recently received a letter that could go a long way toward growing the International Code Council's High School Technical Training Program (HSTTP) in the state. The Chapter has spearheaded efforts to have the HSTTP offered in nine vocational schools so far, and now has set its sights on having the program adopted as a statewide curriculum by the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDOE).
The letter, written by George W. Whalen, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board, expresses support for RIBOA's efforts to have the HSTTP offered in schools statewide. "The HSTTP program was established to introduce codes to students who someday might become code officials or be involved in the construction industry," Whalen said. "Understanding the building codes is fundamental and essential for anyone who is entering the building construction trade."
With additional letters of support from the Rhode Island Building Code Commission and ICC, Pimental and the Chapter hope to submit a formal request to the RIDOE before the end of this month. He and RIBOA Immediate Past President William Nash, who now serves as an ICC Government Relations Regional Manager, previously met with state education officials to discuss the HSTTP and the process for having it adopted.
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Rhode Island Building Officials Association President Wayne Pimental (right) and Treasurer Alfred DeCorte (center) present a Certificate of Achievement to student Alex Meniel for his completion of the ICC High School Technical Training Program. |
"We certainly feel the program meets the educational requirements established by the State Department of Education," said Pimental, who serves as Building Official for the Town of East Greenwich. "And we feel pretty confident that it will be accepted as a statewide curriculum."
While establishing the HSTTP in the nine schools, Pimental recruited local code officials to volunteer as mentors to the students. RIBOA also secured sponsorships to support the program.
At a ceremony in June, Certificates of Achievement were presented to 20 high school students who completed the HSTTP program. In addition to having the certificates framed by RIBOA, the students also received tool belts and other accessories worth up to $500 each thanks to the Chapter sponsorships.
"A lot of us who grew up in this trade started working for contractors in construction," Pimental explained. "We see that builders today are not always up to speed with the current codes. We also see that, when communities are looking to hire code officials, candidates don't always meet the qualifications for the position.
"The HSTTP can help bridge the gap," Pimental continued. "Once the program was rolled out, the students and teachers got involved and they have really enjoyed it." |
