Quality And Craftsmanship Training Series For Metal Building Assemblers Being Updated

Bethlehem, PA - With support from the Ketenbrink Education Foundation (KEF), the metal construction industry will soon have updated tools for training new assemblers. KEF recently issued grant awards to Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), Metal Buildings Institute (MBI), and Metal Building Contractors and Erectors Association (MBCEA). In a true spirit of collaboration these groups are pooling the grants to update and expand an existing program, the Quality and Craftsmanship Training Series, for the betterment of the metal building industry and the craftsmen that work on metal buildings.

With past support from Bob and Bev Ketenbrink and others, MBI developed the Quality and Craftsmanship Training Series in 2004. This top-rated, easy-to-use, and affordable training program for the erection of metal building systems contains 11 modules that covers the entire process of the erection of a metal building. Each module, with instruction in both English and Spanish, focuses on one key area of training for metal building erection. The pooled grant will fund updates to reflect current trends, new materials, and emerging best practices. The first module to be updated will be Insulation, followed quickly by Framing. Two new modules, Retrofit and Temporary Bracing, are also in the works.

MBI offers national standardized testing for the Quality and Craftsmanship Training Series so companies can test each of their employees online. Employees receive a certificate of completion from MBI for each successfully completed test. Successful applicants are recognized as MBI Quality Assured Craftsmen. Their certificates and credentials remain with the individual, providing marketable skills and promoting pride in the trade.

Hundreds of companies rely on the MBI Quality and Craftsmanship Training Series and thousands of young men and women rely on this training for essential job knowledge and skills. The training series is available at www.metal-buildings-institute.org.

KEF’s mission is to assist in improving the quality of metal building construction and the training available in the metal building industry, to help metal building construction workers or aspiring workers acquire necessary job skills and understanding of metal building construction standards, and to improve overall technical and practical training available to metal building workers. Mike Reynolds, KEF chair, said, “We are thrilled to continue Bob’s commitment to safety, training and education for metal building assemblers.”

Metal Buildings Institute (MBI) is an independent, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2001 for the primary purpose of providing educational and training programs for metal building contractors and erectors. Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. (ABC) is a national construction industry trade association founded on the merit shop philosophy. ABC and its 69 chapters help members develop people, win work and deliver that work safely, ethically and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which ABC and its members work. Metal Building Contractors and Erectors Association (MBCEA) is a professional association dedicated to the advancement of the metal buildings industry. MBCEA provides programs and services to support, educate and safely train metal building contractors and erectors across the country.