Program moves Southern Nevada youths from homeless to homebuilding

Just a few weeks ago, 21-year-old Jared Burrus was staying at the Shannon West Homeless Youth Center while he searched for a job. Now he is armed with new skills that he hopes will soon lead to steady work.

Burrus was one of 10 homeless youths who graduated Tuesday from a four-week course in carpentry that rewarded them with Occupational Safety and Health Administration accreditation for construction work.

“It’s not easy going through life at this age, learning and developing and trying to sustain on your own and maintain on your own,” said Burrus, who along with his peers, received a certificate, a medal and a U.S. congressional commendation from representatives of Rep. Dina Titus’ office Tuesday at Cili Restaurant at the Bali Hai Golf Club in Las Vegas.

Burrus also addressed officials with the nonprofit Home­Aid of Southern Nevada and the instructors from four local construction companies that are now looking to hire the young graduates.

‘We appreciate you’

“For you guys to be able to roll it out and put out your hand and help us and be able to show us a way out, we appreciate you,” he said.

Burrus said he hopes to earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration, using money from his new trade, and one day start his own construction company.

“Nevada is my home, so I want to build my own neighborhoods here,” he said.

HomeAid Southern Nevada aims to help the region’s homeless population get back on their feet through housing and community outreach. And the class in its workforce development program — HomeAid WORKS — is an opportunity to provide jobs and help fill a shortage in the ranks of construction workers.

“We’re helping solve the homeless problem and at the same time were getting the workforce built up. Two birds with one stone, why wouldn’t you?” said Nat Hodgson, CEO of the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association, which partners with HomeAid and recruited the trainers and companies involved.

Southern Nevada has yet to replenish construction jobs that departed during the Recession: According to the National Center for Construction Education and Research, the state of Nevada will need 124,512 skilled tradespeople by August 2021.

A $25,000 grant to HomeAid America from the Lennar Foundation, the charitable arm of home builder Lennar Corp, funded the class to help replenish the workforce and offer opportunities to youth homeless. The grant will be renewed for the next two years.

Southern Nevada is the first of three locations to kick off the workforce development class.

With in-kind donations from builders, their trade unions and suppliers, the program costs $1,600 per student. That includes their first set of tools when they secure a job, Hodgson said.

Fingers intact

Kyle Tibbitts, general manager of Shea Homes, who was an instructor in the class, said organizers were told to expect 60 percent of their students to drop out, but 90 percent of the first class graduated Tuesday.

Students were required to attend three-hour classes three days a week and take online TEACH Construction classes to compliment their hands-on work.

“They’ve done so much and accomplished so much and its because of their hard work and dedication overcoming their challenges,” Tibbitts said.

“And they also have all their fingers,” he added with a laugh.

During the second week of classes at Cooper Roofing & Solar in Las Vegas, 11 students practiced properly lifting plywood and proper use of a drill gun.

They fastened their tool belts and measured out 1/2-inch marks that they would use to hammer in roofing nails.

Sisters Tamira Williams, 19, and Alex Coulter, 22, weren’t fazed about being the only girls in the program. For them, building the 8-by-8 foot window frame was the biggest challenge.

“I’m very proud of them,” their mom, Shari Williams, said Tuesday as she watched them graduate. “They studied hard, and it was hands on.”

Another graduate, Tayvon Jenkins, 23, who was referred to the program through the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, was working security sporadically but is now excited to secure a full-time position.

“I got my OSHA card, so mission accomplished,” he said. “If you put a blueprint in front of my face, I can build it.”

Contact Briana Erickson at berickson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5244. Follow @ByBrianaE on Twitter.