Council hears presentation on construction-trade academy; ordinance introduced to fund program with permit fees

The Mobile City Council on Oct. 21 was briefed by the Home Builders Association and the State Home Builders Association on a proposed program to fund a construction-trade academy through a small fee on residential building permits.

Robert Collins, president of the HBA of Metro Mobile, described the model as a fast-track, eight-week course intended to accelerate job readiness for the skilled trades. "Our program is a fast track. It's 8 week class that will get people trained up," Collins said, adding the course is structured as two nights a week for three hours per night and that employers typically pay new graduates $3 to $5 more per hour.

Jason Reed of the State Home Builders Association said state legislation authorizes municipalities and counties to levy a fee to fund the academy and that, under the bill, dollars collected in a county stay in that county for workforce training. "Every dollar that is collected goes to treasury ... every dollar it's collected goes back out. There are no administrative fees the state collects," Reed said. He and Collins said program partners have successfully run similar efforts in other Alabama cities and that the local program would coordinate with employers and credentialing requirements so participants can reach apprenticeship milestones more quickly.

Clerk announcements listed an ordinance (identified in the clerk's readout) to amend chapter 11, article 3 to include a subsection titled Alabama Construction Trade Academy Fund fees. Council members asked clarifying questions: the ordinance applies to residential permits, the fee is capped (up to $20 per permit as written) and supporters said they expect the funds to be budgeted and allocated to local workforce training. Several council members voiced support and asked to cosponsor the ordinance.

The ordinance was introduced for first reading; no final vote occurred at the meeting.