Page 6
February 14, 2018
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The pre-apprenticeship program “Constructing Hope,” a certified African American-owned training fa-
cility in northeast Portland offers 180 hours of classes and hands-on training for jobs in construction.
Job Training Investment
Prosper Portland
helps local
nonprofit expand
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Denise Johnson 503-819-4576
Hernandez Williams 206-683-4101
Co-Founders and Instructers
The African-American led
nonprofit Constructing Hope will
expand its construction train-
ing facility in northeast Port-
land thanks to an investment of
$300,000 from Prosper Portland,
the city’s economic development
agency.
Construction Hope provides
skill training for people wishing
to enter construction careers with
middle-class wages and defined
benefits
Plans for a larger facility will
increase the organization’s abil-
ity to training more participants,
from 100 to 200 annually. The ex-
pansion will also support business
equity in the community through
the use of certified Minority,
Women Owned and Emerging
Small Business contractors and
architects. Constructing Hope
will complete funding of the
$500,000 project through other
grants and community donations.
Constructing Hope provides
no-cost, 10 week construction
training programs, placement
services, and career advancement
support. Graduates enter con-
struction apprenticeships that are
the pathways to careers as car-
penters, laborers, roofers, elec-
tricians, iron workers, masons,
painters, sheet metal workers,
heavy equipment operators, and
HVAC technicians.
Last year, the organization
placed 83 graduates into employ-
ment with an average starting
wage was $16.74 hourly.
Prior to entering the program
these graduates faced barriers
like a lack of work experience,
little or no advanced education,
experience with the criminal jus-
tice system, and race discrimina-
tion in the workplace.
Executive Director Patricia
“Pat” Daniels says, “Construc-
tion is one of the few industries
that will hire people with a crim-
inal record. For communities of
color, who are overrepresented in
the criminal justice system, this
can be a life saver.”
The program works by helping
participants move from building
small projects like a complex
sawhorse to capstone projects
like tiny house construction. Par-
ticipants get a head start toward
employment with transportation
support for their first job, driver’s
license assistance, professional
certifications, tools, work boots,
and personal protective equip-
ment. At the same time, they
learn life skills such as budget-
ing, personal goal setting, and ca-
reer development strategies.
Constructing Hope graduate
Raleigh Morrison shared, “With
a criminal background, Con-
structing Hope gave me opportu-
nity I didn’t think was possible.
They’ve given me a whole new
life.” So inspirational was Mor-
rison’s experience and resulting
middle-class wage of $26.85 per
hour; that two of his sons fol-
lowed in his footsteps and are
currently working together on a
large concrete project.
Community members who are
unemployed and seeking no-cost
construction training can visit
constructinghope.org or call the
front desk at 503-281-1234.