By RayJaun Stelly,The Seattle Medium
The Pre-Apprenticeship Construction Training (PACT) program, a non-profit program in the Central District, has provided students with a set of skills that will help them find a job or stay in a current profession since the 1990s. The program, offered through Seattle Central College’s Wood Technology Center, includes hand tool and power tool use, industrial safety, trades math, forklift operation certification, road flagging certification, OSHA 10 certification, first aid/CPR certification, and only takes 22 credits to complete.
To be eligible for the PACT Program, applicants must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or GED. They must also attend an information session, pass a pre-screening urinalysis test, interview with the PACT Administration Team, apply for workforce funding, and register for PACT classes.
For over 80 years, the Wood Technology Center has provided high-quality technical instruction in building trades. The center offers programs in carpentry, boat building and repair, residential construction, and pre-apprenticeship construction training. Courses can typically be completed within five quarters.
In 2018, the program received a $150,000 grant from Sound Transit to add evening and weekend classes. The funds were intended to benefit people of color, women, re-entry students, and those with other daytime obligations.
The faculty pride themselves on a commitment to excellence in teaching the ins and outs of the building trades.
“We treat class like a job,” says program instructor Derek Jones. “You have to be here on time, and we do a lot of team activities and individual work so students can get their skills back.”
“Wood is more than just learning how to cut a two by four, it’s life skills too and some of our folks weren’t taught those things,” added Jones. “Some people haven’t done math or worked in groups in a long time, this class will help them get familiar with working in groups or as a team and most importantly asking for help.”
In what can best be described as an opportunity to gain certificates, work skills, and a potentially good salary upon completion, the program has been very impactful in the lives of numerous students over the years, and continues to build on the foundations of work ethic and attention to detail.
“We can only control what we can control in here,” says Program Director Jerry Jordan. “This is a safe environment and with the knowledge we have on what we’ve seen and done, we give them suggestions whether it’s inside or outside the class.”
“I chose the PACT program because there are not too many opportunities like it,” says Markelle Lilly, a student of the PACT program. “A three-month program that will change the trajectory of your life, and honestly making a commitment has never been easier. The program is set up with a great teaching staff and they actually care that you finish the program, which is key for me. Sometimes I need to know that I am not just a number or another student.”
With an understanding that the program can elevate him, Lilly sees how the long-term benefits of the program.
“The program is helping me now because it’s grounding me, teaching me to be punctual, getting me back on a consistent 8-4 schedule and teaching me trade value skills,” says Lilly. “In the future, I can see this setting up a less stressful life for me and my family as I will not be a minimum wage worker anymore.”
As they look towards the future, administrators are looking for the to program to evolve as they try to reach as many under-represented populations as they can, growing the staff, and expanding to having a night class to reach those who cannot make it to their normal class that’s from 8-4 Monday through Friday.
For those interested in the PACT program they have information sessions on Wednesdays that start at 1:00 pm at their Wood Technology Center located at 2310 S. Lane Street. For more information, email Jason.Hutson@seattlecollege.edu.
