10 Business View - May 2015
Opening
Lines
University of California San Diego Extension will part-
ner with the Associated Builders and Contractors to of-
fer a unique, accelerated safety certification program
with an emphasis on hands-on training, including a
job internship. An intensive, three-month course that
starts on July 13, the Safety Specialist Professional
Certificate program is taught by a team of safety spe-
cialists and teaches skills that are in high demand in
the construction and general industries, according to
experts.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that jobs for
occupational safety and health specialists will grow at
9 percent through 2020, and 13 percent for occupa-
tional safety and health technicians.
Combining top-quality UCSD class instruction with
hands-on training at the ABC training facility in Pow-
ay, the course is designed for individuals who want to
gain skills and get an immersion into safety require-
ments in the general and building industry. Each topic
will be covered in the classroom as well as in a skills
lab where, for example, rigging will be demonstrated
and students will learn the proper use of fall protec-
tion equipment. Scaffolding will be brought into the lab
and erected, and course participants will also learn to
calibrate and use air sampling machines, among other
Occupational Health and Safety (OSHA) protocols.
The program offers an entry-level certificate to bolster
their resumes, together with a three-week internship
that “will give students a taste of the on-the-job expe-
rience and expose their skills to national companies
who are looking to hire,” said Bob Harrell, a safety
consultant who serves as a lead instructor. The intern-
ships will be paid and there is the possibility, though
no guarantee, that part- or full-time employment could
subsequently be offered.
A week within the course is devoted to leadership edu-
cation. “Partnering so closely with ABC insures that we
tailor the instruction to the needs of employers, who re-
port that leadership and communication with workers
and upper management are the most valuable skills
on the job,” Harrell said. A learning community among
students, UC San Diego Extension and ABC profession-
als will be established so that certificate holders can
access tutoring and consult on resume writing and
prospective job opportunities.
The fee for the program is $8,500. Students are re-
sponsible for their own housing during the program as
well as for travel expenses to/from the internship.
Fast-Track Construction Safety
Training Program Offers Internships
