YouthBuild San Joaquin students received specialized training in how to use green, cutting-edge building materials from the manufacturer making products used across the globe.
YouthBuild San Joaquin was the first YouthBuild USA program on the West Coast selected to participate in the training, which was conducted by Saint-Gobain and its subsidiary, CertainTeed. The two-day training took place at the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) campus of the San Joaquin Building Futures Academy on March 30 and 31.
YouthBuild prepares students aged 16 to 24 years old to complete their education and prepare for careers in construction. The future of the industry includes building sustainably, which means that those who want to be a part of that future need to use the equipment and materials, like those manufactured by companies like Saint-Gobain’s CertainTeed. Saint-Gobain is a worldwide leader in combating climate change through the manufacture and distribution of energy efficient, sustainable building materials that are green-build approved and meet the criteria for Energy Star® and LEED certifications. The training was conducted by Ted Winslow and Bruce Hartzell, national trainers from the CertainTeed Philadelphia office.
Ten YouthBuild San Joaquin students and four program alumni participated in the training.
The first day of hands-on training focused on CertainTeed’s new Sustainable Insulation, meant to increase indoor air quality through use of a plant-based binder. As part of the training, students competed in three groups to install the insulation. The trainers critiqued the results, and all the teams met industry standards by the end of the day.
On the second day, the trainers were joined by Northern California CertainTeed representative Jim Dunning and Eduardo Ramirez from Sequoia Insulation. The trainers also shared their expertise about how students would find work in the insulation business.
Because of the training, those YouthBuild San Joaquin students and alumni will now have a CertainTeed Insulation Installation Certification in their portfolio when competing for work.
The training was organized by the YouthBuild USA Green Building Initiative.