Technical Opportunities Program
Interested in a construction career but don’t know how to get started? This program can help you learn about the industry, practice your hands-on skills, and compete for apprenticeship program openings.
Schedule
- Two evenings per week (6–9:30 p.m.)
- Saturdays (8 a.m.–3 p.m.)
Curriculum
- Math
- Test preparation
- Physical conditioning
- Basic construction skills
- Job readiness
- Hands-on lessons and field trips in various sectors of construction
Requirements
- High School Diploma or GED
- Driver’s license
- Birth certificate or other proof of eligibility to work in the United States
- Physically fit
- Able to demonstrate basic math and reading skills on an aptitude test
- Able to pass a drug test
Is construction right for you?
If you are mechanically inclined, enjoy working with your hands and being physically active, a career in the construction trades might be a good choice for you.
Register for an information session.
10:30 a.m. the first & third Wednesdays
5:30 p.m. the second & fourth Wednesdays
Frequently asked questions
Am I guaranteed entrance into an apprenticeship program or job?
No, TOP does not have direct entry agreements with apprenticeship programs, but TOP graduates will learn everything they need to know to be competitive applicants and an average of 70% of program graduates are successful in entering apprenticeship.
TOP provides general preparation that applies to most area apprenticeship programs. Program graduates have gone on to become successful electricians, carpenters, bricklayers, plumbers, pipefitters, sheet metal workers, laborers, iron workers, cement finishers, painters, drywall finishers and more.
This training is available free of charge to participants, but it is not free to provide, so we are looking for applicants whose commitment to this career path is deserving of the investment made by our funders.
Apprenticeship programs may only be open for applications at specific times during the year and many lists last up to two years, so the answer is it depends on what you’re interested in and the timing of their application periods. This is a career oriented program and, while some participants do enter apprenticeship quickly, this program is not intended to meet an urgent need for immediate employment.
For more information about apprenticeship programs and construction careers, please see our "You Can Do It!" guide or attend an information session at CWIT.
Detailed curriculum
- Math: fractions, decimals, ratios and percentages, area and perimeter, square roots, exponents, feet and inches and basic algebra
- Test preparation: spatial relations, mechanical reasoning, and numerical reasoning
- Physical conditioning: stretching, stamina, balance, aerobic, and weight-lifting exercises
- Basic construction skills: safety, tool recognition and use, measuring, and blueprint reading
- Job readiness: goal setting, interviewing, resume preparation, budgeting, and sexual harassment prevention
- Hands-on lessons: learning experiences in carpentry, electrical work, sheet metal working, plumbing and pipefitting, bricklaying and more instructed by experienced tradeswomen.