Building Skills

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2015

ABSTRACT OF THE PROGRAM: The High Desert Juvenile Detention and Assessment Center Building Skills Construction Training Program is a high school program designed to give youth in a detention setting, the opportunity to explore their interest and aptitudes in the construction industry. For several years the San Bernardino County Probation Department has sought to develop and implement a vocational program for youth who are serving a long term commitment in juvenile hall. The collaboration between the County Superintendent of Schools and Probation was able to make the program a reality. The program is funded through the school’s Regional Occupational Program (ROP) program. This allows the youth to earn credits towards graduation while learning a skill that they can take back to their community and pursue one of the trades being offered. Building Skills is a program that gives youth the opportunity to explore possibilities of a career in the construction industry. The Building Skills lab includes hands on training in electrical skills, plumbing, and HVAC, weatherization, and estimation skills. Each construction trade skill has ten activities which youth can complete individually or in assigned teams of two. Each construction trade lesson begins with tool, vocabulary, and material identification using worksheets and video lesson plans. Video lessons set the expectations for each activity and guides the youth through each activity such as wiring an electrical outlet or installing a sink.