Class readying building contractors for state licensing exam

The reconstruction boom along the Louisiana Gulf Coast following hurricanes Katrina and Rita has spurred a great demand for state building contractors licenses.

To meet the demand, the Louisiana Community and Technical College System is offering a preparation class for the General Contractor’s State Licensing Exam.

The course will be held Oct. 30 to Dec. 13, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Lafourche campus of Louisiana Technical College (1425 Tiger Dr. in Thibodaux).

The class, called the Louisiana Contractors Accreditation Institute, will be taught live by satellite video, transmitted from Louisiana Technical College’s Baton Rouge campus. The cost is $100.

The program is a management-training course designed to assist small construction businesses. The class will cover bid processes, contract management, estimating, bonding/access to capital, scheduling, occupational safety, risk management, certification, entrepreneurship training, and equipment and business management.

“You will learn management skills, exposing you to skills,” said John Hough, statewide coordinator for workforce training and economic development for the Louisiana Community and Technical College System.

“You have to estimate materials, and have math skills,” Hough said.

Besides Lafourche, the course will be offered at Louisiana Technical College campuses in Alexandria, Jefferson Parish, Opelousas, Shreveport and West Monroe.

Also, McNeese State and Southeastern University will host the class.

Instructors are drawn from the LSU School of Construction Management, Baton Rouge Community College, Louisiana Economic Development, and the state Dept. of Transportation.

“You receive a certificate of completion if you attend a required number of classes,” Hough said. “In the past, Louisiana Economic Development has required the certificate to get access to some of their programs.”

“Certification will better prepare you to take the General Contractor’s State Licensing Exam,” he said. “With the satellites, they can see us, and talk back and forth. The program will make participants aware of all the resources available in Louisiana to help small businesses.”

The course was first offered in March and April. It was conducted a second time in July and August. The program will be offered again in spring 2008.

“We will do this on a routine basis, as long as there is the need,” Hough said.

The course will be conducted three weeks, break for Thanksgiving, then run for three more weeks.

So far, 153 participants in the program have received certificates of completion.

“After Katrina and Rita, there was an overwhelming number of people who wanted a contractor’s license,” Hough said. “They came to us wanting help taking the contractor’s exam.”

Louisiana Economic Development and Louisiana Small Business Development Centers are cosponsoring the program. The Development Centers are supported by the Small Business Administration, and offer guidance and advice to small businesses.

Anyone interested in enrolling can register by logging on to www.adultedreg.com/lctcs or calling toll free (866) 310-1586.