AUSTIN, TX — Grand Canyon University (GCU) and Rosendin have teamed up again to expand their Pre-Apprenticeship for Electricians Pathway into Austin, Texas. As more businesses move to Texas, Rosendin, the country’s largest employee-owned electrical contractor, identified Austin as an area with a growing construction industry and a need for construction electricians. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job growth for electricians is projected to grow by an estimated 6 percent from 2022 to 2032.
In 2022, GCU and Rosendin developed a four-course, 16-credit pre-apprenticeship pathway that prepares students for an Employer Apprenticeship Program in the state of Arizona. In that short time, over 200 students have passed all required courses to embark on careers in the commercial construction industry.
“Trade industries are what helped build this country into an economic power, and we need to bring them back,” GCU President Brian Mueller said. “The pre-apprenticeship has already changed so many lives in Arizona, we wanted to expand it into other areas experiencing a labor shortage. This 15-week offering will help students master key concepts, especially in math, that will prepare them to enter an electrician apprentice program and quickly embark on a career that is in demand.”
Pre-apprenticeship students will take four courses in math, communications, and electrical foundations over one semester. Rosendin worked with GCU to develop the courses to ensure these students are well prepared to enter an apprenticeship and succeed in the construction industry.
“Our highly specialized, hands-on learning program allows Austin students to learn a skilled craft that can launch their careers in one semester," said Mike Greenawalt, Rosendin CEO Emeritus. "The construction industry is one of the largest in the country, with 8 million workers across a wide spectrum of specialties. Together, Rosendin and GCU are educating people about career options and helping to solve the current workforce shortage."
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GCU’s Center for Workforce Development team is working with both union and non-union contractors to provide work and apprenticeship opportunities during the courses and upon completion of the pathway. Rosendin will be looking to hire the GCU students as soon as they complete their semester at GCU and enter the apprenticeship program.
Rosendin, which has been instrumental in the commercial construction industry for 105 years, is an innovative, technology-driven company that builds educational facilities, hospitals, solar facilities, and light rail. This expansion into Texas is a part of GCU’s Center for Workforce Development programs, including the Pre-Apprenticeship for Electricians and a CNC Machinist Pathway.
