Portland - Portland general contractor Emerick Construction Co. has been awarded the CM/GC contract for Portland Community College's Sylvania Campus Bond Improvements and Utilities Upgrade Project, estimated to be in the range of $7.5 million.

The improvements cover a range of projects, including campus air conditioning, fire sprinkler system upgrades, a complete new electrical service installation, emergency power system additions and modifications, and building renovations. The multiple projects require particular skill and attention to day-to-day scheduling, coordinating and phasing of the work, while keeping the campus fully operational, minimizing disruption and maintaining safety for students, staff and employees.

Emerick will partner on the PCC Sylvania Bond project with Portland Community College, Opsis Architecture, CBG Consulting Engineers, James D. Graham & Associates, and Group Mackenzie.

Master Builders Group Funds Construction Training

Edmonds - Edmonds Community College recently received $2,500 from the Master Builders Education Foundation to purchase tools for its Construction Industry Training program and to provide some financial assistance to students.

The training prepares students for apprenticeships and entry-level jobs in construction and the building trades. Until recently, the program was solely funded through WorkFirst, the state's welfare reform program, for a limited number of welfare recipients and low-income working parents.

With the Master Builders' grant, the college will purchase nails, screws, saws, hammers, tool belts, measuring tapes and screwdrivers and help as many as 15 students pay for the costs of receiving their Scaffold User, First Aid/CPR, and Flagging certifications.

In the past two years, 60 students have completed Construction Industry Training at the college. Recently, more students have sought to enroll in the program due to high unemployment in Snohomish County. Those with an interest in boosting the local pool of skilled applicants for construction industry jobs, such as the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish County, have stepped up to provide additional support to the program.

This spring, Sound Transit awarded the college $28, 600 to help it enroll 20 additional students in the program and to help pay instructors' salaries.