A construction education and recruitment campaign Aug. 16 kicked off in Alabama featuring the Discovery Channel’s “Dirty Jobs” executive producer and host Mike Rowe advocating for careers in construction.  The website, www.GoBuildAlabama.com includes a video of Rowe explaining the purpose of the campaign.  

The Go Build campaign is a product of the Alabama Construction Recruitment Institute (ACRI) which was created by Act 220 of the Alabama legislature and is funded through an employer fee that will generate $1.75 million per year.  ACRI will provide state-wide construction craft training programs at two-year colleges, nonunion training centers and union facilities, using the National Center for Construction Education and Research curriculum.  

The pilot program began in 2009 when ABC contributed $100,000 to support the Alabama Workforce Development Initiative.  In addition, ABC of Alabama joined other industry groups to lobby for the creation of ACRI with the goal of taking the program nationwide.   

The Go Build campaign includes statewide print, online and television advertisements promoting the GoBuildAlabama.com website, where people can learn more about skilled trade centers and find information about training programs, among other things.  In addition, ACRI will be doing direct outreach to high schools beginning this fall through a partnership with the Alabama chapter of SkillsUSA.