Trade group building Winooski construction training center seeks tax credit and $100,000 equipment grants

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) representatives told the Vermont House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development on Feb. 7 that ABC is developing a 10,000-square-foot construction training center in Winooski and is asking the Legislature to consider two state supports: a corporate tax credit to reimburse employers that send workers to state-recognized training and a grant program of up to $100,000 to help training providers buy equipment.

The training center is being established by a newly formed nonprofit board to oversee ABC’s programs and industry-sponsored apprenticeships. Matt Musgrave, Vermont regional director for the Associated Builders and Contractors, said the center will offer NCCER (National Center for Construction Education and Research) credentialed courses, an employer-sponsored apprenticeship program entering its third cohort, and a planned six-week pre-apprenticeship course designed to bridge Career and Technical Education (CTE) graduates and other entrants into commercial construction work. “The stated purpose of this facility and the program is really to provide a clear advancement route for people that want to enter the trades,” Musgrave said.

Why it matters: Committee members were told Vermont is replacing fewer workers in construction than are leaving the industry, creating a workforce gap that affects both large general contractors and small firms. John Pizzagalli, chair of the training nonprofit’s board, described the effort as “a very Vermont approach” in which competing contractors pooled time and resources to train workers the industry needs. Committee members asked for cost estimates and program details during the meeting; Musgrave said the proposals did not appear in the governor’s budget and the group is seeking legislative action.

What ABC proposed - Corporate tax credit: ABC proposed a corporate tax credit to encourage employers to pay upfront training costs and be reimbursed when they send staff to state-recognized training (such as NCCER courses). Musgrave framed the proposal as a low-administration option that would be claimed on an employer’s tax form rather than requiring a new agency or program. - Equipment grants: ABC asked that the Agency of Commerce and Community Development include a grant program (proposed cap: $100,000 per grantee) to help training organizations purchase and update equipment as technologies shift (battery-operated tools, GPS, digital plan platforms).

Program details and operations ABC is converting donated space and in-kind contributions into a training site in Winooski that Musgrave said will serve Chittenden County and nearby communities (including Burlington, South Burlington, Colchester and Essex). The organization has hired a full-time trainer and is developing multiple training tracks: member-sponsored apprenticeship slots, public construction 101 offerings, and sessions for smaller subcontractors and specialty trades. Musgrave said industry employers contribute labor and materials to the facility build-out and that the nonprofit was formed to accept donations and provide governance (Musgrave described it as a 501(c)(3) organization).

Costs and funding context Musgrave told the committee that classroom-and-hands-on training for one apprentice typically ranges from $2,000 to $4,000 per year, with shorter courses such as blueprint reading costing several hundred dollars. He said the Vermont Training Program can reimburse employers for a portion of wages during training (Musgrave described a 50% reimbursement model used by that program). Musgrave also said the administration had been consulted but the tax-credit and grant requests were not included in this year’s budget.

Committee questions and next steps Committee members asked whether ABC had explored partnerships with existing adult education, CTE and state programs; Musgrave said ABC is working with adult learning and CTE providers and with the Department of Labor to develop the pre-apprenticeship pathway and that the center is intended to complement, not compete with, existing programs. Representative Abby Duke, a committee member, asked about access for small contractors and nonmember firms; Musgrave said roughly 30% of ABC membership are larger general contractors and the center will host a range of classes for smaller firms and the public when capacity allows.

No formal vote or policy action was taken at the Feb. 7 hearing. Musgrave invited committee members to visit the Winooski facility; he said the organization expects the center to be ready in mid to late March and that a public grand opening will follow.

Ending ABC representatives said the center aims to increase the pipeline of credentialed construction workers for both commercial and residential firms in Vermont and to make training more accessible to people entering or returning to the workforce. The committee did not take formal legislative action on the proposals during the hearing.