ACI Graduates Masonary Class
On November 15, Andromeda Community Initiative (ACI) graduated its third class of students from its Masonry Restoration Program.
Parents, students, community members, and staff gathered to celebrate the completion of the 202-hour program, which offers New Yorkers free access to education and hands-on training in the field of building restoration.
Students were recruited from LaGuardia Community College, CDI, The Hope Program, Urban Upbound, and Youth Action NYC Youth Build. A day before graduation, ACI organized a job fair with construction and building restoration companies, connecting its students and employing all of the program’s graduates.
“New York City youth deserve the opportunity to begin a meaningful, long-term career, and ACI is making every effort to give participants the right skills, resources, and know-how to succeed,” said John Pantanelli, president of the NYCSRA.
ACI’s Masonry Restoration Program focuses on developing core, hands-on skills, as well as educating students on the necessary safety and compliance measures set forth by the Department of Buildings (DOB) and The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Hands-on training is taught on simulation façades utilizing real masonry materials, while the theoretical portions are taught by ACI’s certified instructors in the program’s designated auditorium and classrooms.
ACI has graduated three classes of students in 2018 and is planning on doubling its classes in its effort to solve for the existing labor shortage in the construction and building restoration industry.
Formed in January of 2018, ACI is a not-for-profit organization that provides participants with professional development opportunities, free educational programs, and job-related training that prepares members for gainful employment in the construction industry.
