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Lowcountry HUB Academy Heralds Third Graduating Class
12/18/2007
Lowcountrey HUB Academy Fall 2007 Graduates
Lowcountry HUB Academy Heralds
Third Graduating Class
NORTH CHARLESTON, SC (December 18, 2007) – The Lowcountry HUB Academy celebrated the graduation of its 3rd class on Tuesday, December 18 at 6:00 PM at 10 Storehouse Row, the Navy Yard at Noisette. The December graduating class of the Lowcountry HUB (Historically Underutilized Businesses) Academy has 18 specialty contractors who represent a cross-section of minority business people in the regional building industry.
By its mission, the Business Academy program strives to increase the number of minority businesses qualified to provide goods and services to owners and contractors in the region, and increase the level of economic activity and local employment in the construction industry in the tri-county area. The December 2007 class featured one contractor from Columbia, South Carolina, who commuted to the Lowcountry Graduate Center in North Charleston each week to attend classes at the request of SCDOT. Currently, the Lowcountry HUB Academy is the only program of its type in the state.
The Fall 2007 ceremony increased the total number of HUB graduates 51. “It is, by far, the best program I have ever participated in for basics in construction and business management,” says Jack Richardson, Class Auditor and participant, and owner of Nehemiah Development. “The instructors were very knowledgeable, and are experts working in their respective field. I hope to maintain contact with the participants and members of the Lowcountry HUB Academy and SC HUB Guild, to utilize their services in the future.”
A certificate of completion from Trident Technical College and Carolinas AGC will be presented to the graduates at the ceremony. In addition to the awards ceremony, Paul Connerty of the Trident Workforce Investment Board, a sponsor of the Academy, will be the keynote speaker for the graduation ceremony. There will also be a Networking reception following the ceremony with refreshments available to guests.
The Lowcountry HUB Contactor Business Academy enhances opportunities for Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB) to participate in construction projects throughout South Carolina by providing education and training essential for managing a competitive construction company. The program has influenced the graduates and their respective businesses by providing opportunities to form personal relationships, not only with fellow participants in the program, but with the various sponsors that take a personal interest.
The Business Academy classes were held at the Lowcountry Graduate Center for 14 consecutive weeks. The curriculum provided through Carolinas AGC, which is an accredited sponsor of the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), deliver quality training based on uniform standards and criteria from the NASCLA (South Carolina edition).
Experts in accounting, business, law, and project management from local Carolinas Associated General Contractors (CAGC) present new skills and ideas to assist participants in making businesses more efficient. All course topics meet the needs of both management and the craft worker. Advanced classes may be obtained through Trident Technical College's Continuing Education Program, and participants obtain Continuing Education Credits for graduating the class.
This year’s curriculum covered numerous topics, including: Intro to Blueprint Reading; Operations and Financial Management; Risk Management (Insurance); Interpret Building Codes and Inspections; Marketing and Management Skills; “Green” Building (Earthcraft Standards); Contract Management; Prequalification and Strategic Planning; Project Management; Project Scheduling; S.C. Lien and Bonds; Bidding and Estimating; Employee Management; and Job Site and Environmental Matters.
“The program gave me valuable organizational, legal and practical knowledge,” says Genevieve Stratos, a HUB participant with Fountainhead Homes. “Many of the organization and planning skills I have learned have already been implemented. We have added planning boards, and use new legal documents to keep our company organized.”
Another HUB participant, Cheryl West, of Miracle Community Development Corporation, added, “The program was terrific. The information is transferable to any discipline and promotes a solid foundation for any business. I plan to work with others in my community by helping provide knowledge to contractors, laborers, in addition to employees and employers, in various disciplines.”
The next program is tentatively scheduled for early Spring 2008. For additional information, please contact Rochelle Johnson at (843) 745-1722.
The Contractor Business Academy’s Consortium includes: the cities of North Charleston and Charleston, Charleston County, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, the
HUB Graduation
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Trident Urban League, Trident Technical College, SC State University, the Carolina's Association of General Contractors, the Lowcountry Graduate Center, the Noisette Foundation, and the Noisette Company.
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