Apprenticeship Program
Trainees enrolled in our program complete 700 hours of site-based construction training and basic educational work. On-site construction training takes place Monday - Wednesday from from 8:00 am - 3:30 pm and Thursday from 8:00 am - 12:00 noon. Twice a week trainees take classes taught by the James Groves Adult Education program to work on earning a GED or Basic Skills Goals. Potential trainees are recruited from local community centers, partner organizations, and churches. Funding for our program comes from the State of Delaware Workforce Investment Board, BankOne, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of New Castle, Deutsche Bank, Crestlea Foundation, Welfare Foundation, the MBNA Education Foundation, Advanta National Bank, the Laffey-McHugh Foundation, and the Wilmington Housing Partnership.
Challenge Program Trainee Profiles
Thomas Jones
Since enrolling with The Challenge Program, not only has Tommy acquired solid construction training, his drivers license, great work habits, and a desire to make a better life for himself, he has also gained the respect of his peers by being the second graduate in three years to be accepted as an Apprentice Carpenter for the local carpenter's union. Tommy found it difficult to find a rewarding full time job after graduating high school. He applied to The Challenge Program as a way to learn a new skill, and create a brighter future. In May, 2004, Tommy passed the entry exam from the Philadelphia Carpenters Joint Apprenticeship Training School. In August of 2004, he was hired by Union Wholesale, a contractor specializing in acoustic ceiling installations. J & G Acoustical is now sponsoring Tommy thru his four-year apprenticeship training program.
Robert Putney
Robert Putney came to The Challenge Program after serving time at the Delaware state correctional facility. Locked up during his junior year of high school but determined to stay focused on the future, Robert obtained his G. E. D. while in prison. Upon his release Robert faced countless challenges in his effort to successfully transition into the community. Robert found it very difficult to find stable work as 21 year old young adult with a police record. His job search was further hampered by laws limiting his ability to obtain a drivers license for more than a year after his release from prison. Through his consistent hard work and his own self-reliant nature, Robert was eventually able to find occasional part-time maintenance and construction “cash-only” jobs. In 2005 Robert joined The Challenge Program and made an immediate impact on our construction crew. He was usually the first trainee on the job and the last to leave. Building on the construction experience he brought to the program, Robert was able to find full-time employment with a kitchen and bath installer, where he had worked consistently for over a year. Robert continues to be our “go to” guy here at The Challenge Program — the first person we contact for special projects or when we need extra help to meet deadlines.
James Brittingham
James came to our program as a young but "worldy" 18 year-old, living on Wilmington's east side. At first, it was difficult for James to focus on his duties at the Challenge Program, but after a brief period of time he learned that the way to a better life, was to put in an honest day's work. Quickly James became a leader among his peers and a respected assistant to several of our staff members. James left the program in 2002, has since completed his college education at Old Dominion University, and is on the management team at a regional Target, located in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
New Castle County Pride Training Program
If you are a resident of New Castle County and are interested in our construction training program, download an application. NOTE: Residents of the City of Wilmington are not eligible for the NCC Pride Program. If you are a city resident, please download the Challenge Program Trainee Appliction below.
DOWNLOAD A NCC PRIDE APPLICATION
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Featured Project: Challenge Program Headquarters
We have recently begun construction on our new headquarters. This LEED Gold building has already won multiple awards, including recognition from AIA Pennsylvania, AIA Philadelphia, and the Delaware Valley Green Building Council. The design and construction of this new state of the art facility will implement and showcase green building technology, including a green roof, geothermal heat, solar panels, captured rainwater and recycled building materials. The trainees are actively working on production of the building, along with Challenge Program instructors and sub-contractors.
READ MORE ABOUT OUR NEW HEADQUARTERS---------------------------------------------
Projects in Progress
1625 W. 8th Street
We are finishing work on a project in partnership with the West End Neighborhood House’s Lifelines Program called Kids Building for Kids. The house is located at 1625 W. 8th Street and wil be a transitional home for individuals “aging-out” of the foster care system who would otherwise be homeless. This is another gut renovation with three bedrooms, one and a half baths, with new systems and finishes throughout. The rear addition on the house needed a new foundation and new framing, so the trainees were able to do some foundation work in addition to rough framing. Funding for this outstanding project is provided by the Good Samaritan Foundation and the Prudential Fox Roach Foundation.
104/106 E. 22nd Street
Our newest projects are the renovation of two vacant properties located at 104 and 106 E. 22nd St. in partnership with Greater Brandywine Revitalization project. These two historic properties are set amongst Habitat for Humanity’s Miller Row and another large development on Carter Street. The row houses will be renovated with customary Challenge Program flair and attention to detail and will be for sale in the fall of 2009.