Job Title: Building Trades Instructor

Full Time

Reports to: Principal

Supervisory Responsibilities: No

YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Organization Overview

Every year, thousands of young people in Philadelphia dropout of school. This decades-long dropout crisis impacts individual lives by sustaining the cycle of underemployment and poverty, and threatens Philadelphia’s ability to thrive.

YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School was founded in 1992 to give high school dropouts a second chance and the opportunity to build a brighter future for themselves and their community. Our innovative program offers young at-risk adults a high school diploma, valuable job skills, and the opportunity to learn and grow in a community-oriented, supportive environment. We prepare our students for further educational attainment and meaningful careers as they become leaders and contributing members in a stronger Philadelphia.

Mission

YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School’s mission is to empower young adults (17-20 year-olds) to develop skills and connect to opportunities by fostering an environment of love, support, and respect for their whole person. Students graduate high school and successfully transition to college and career as critically conscious leaders, committed to positive change for themselves and their communities.

Values

YBPCS’ values are deeply held and come from a love of humanity and a perspective that views each student as a community asset. The program’s three core values - respect, excellence and perseverance – are reinforced through all aspects of the program.

Impact Statement

Young people in Philadelphia who are disconnected will build skills and access resources and opportunities to achieve economic stability and personal development, and become critically conscious leaders within their communities.

Job Summary:

A member of the Workforce Development team is an integral part of the training and development of future professionals in their chosen field. The Building Trades Instructor is expected to:

• Provide high-level expertise to novice Construction professionals that help to establish their interest and/or continued training in the field in a broad manner
• Build and sustain quality relationships with employers, post-secondary, community partners, and the like in order to support lifelong learning and career opportunities for students
• Engage and support future relationships in an advisory capacity focused on instruction/curriculum and workforce planning and entry.
• Stay connected and keep current with local and national trends surrounding the healthcare field which including attending conferences and attending to personal professional development

**Specific to skill set this job summary will delineate slightly in order to offer specialized instruction and training in real estate development, advanced construction, and green building.

Responsibilities:

Program Operations & Instruction

• Teach carpentry and construction fundamentals that includes but not limited to safety, deconstruction/demolition, rough framing, drywall, painting, finish carpentry, etc.)
• Teach the proper use and safe handling of all hand tools, power tools, materials handling and equipment to students
• Teach fundamental skills and knowledge to increase students’ likelihood of passing and receiving NCCER and OSHA credentials

Construction Safety

• Provide oversight for one or more construction sites ensuring safety at all times, making sure students are demonstrating correct technique of tools 
• Conduct and document safety meetings and inspections
• Interface with subcontractors and inspectors on-site
• Complete job site reports, including monthly progress reports, accident and incident reports, tool check lists, students attendance and grades, change orders, and back charge documentation

Construction Production & Project Management

• Maintain responsibility for material needs of job site, as well as all tools and equipment for job site
• Develop and keep production timelines and individual project deadlines
• Provide weekly updates to Director, Workforce Development and status updates that impact budget
• Preplan for projects including providing, in a timely manner, scope of work,
• MOU, external contacts, expenses, and plans for student involvement (including travel if necessary)
• Model professional behavior for students at all times
• Develop teamwork and leadership skills of students that mirror industry skills
•  Must notify the Director, Workforce Development no less than 5 days ahead of time if sub-contractors are needed and when the scope of work significantly changes

Industry Skill Development

• Meet weekly with students to assess and address their skill development in professional skills and report on this to the Director, Workforce Development
• Plan and assist students in the organization, maintenance and assignment completion of materials in their building trades binder
• Plan and supervise worksites that allow students to develop hard and soft professional skills including demonstration of certifications, as well as reading and writing reflections related to their workdays

Student Support

• With a highly-developed sense of knowledge of professional skills, encourage students to succeed in the building trades by developing strong individual relationships with them
• Reach out to students assigned to your squad who are currently in the vocation rotation daily either in person, electronically or over the phone
• Reach out to students assigned to your squad who are currently in the academic rotation weekly

Physical Demands

• For teaching and demonstration purposes only:
• Use of hand and power tools on a regular basis
• Motions including hammering nails, kneeling, taping, bending and stooping 
• Ability to lift various weights up to 50 pounds
• Standing for long periods of time, six to eight hours in a day
• Writing on walls and other varied surfaces as well as regular typing and texting
• Climbing stairs and step ladders
• Comfort on taller ladders and scaffolding
• Reaching, stretching and extending arms in the course of duties
• Work in many weather conditions, covered and uncovered, indoor and outside
• Loading and unloading of materials, building supplies and tools

Construction Leadership

• Oversee monitoring of students’ time and grades on the construction site 
• Ability to think creatively with a willingness to have flexibility in working locations, settings and teaching tools

Program Involvement

• Participate in the School’s Mentoring Program
• Participate in one or more extra-curricular activities
• Attend retreats, workshops, and conferences, as required
• Attend weekly all staff and department meetings and other meetings as required by Director of Vocational Training
• Other duties as assigned by the Directors of Vocational Training Regular hours for this position are from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Qualifications:

• At least three years of professional construction experience (carpentry preferred) working with all elements of housing construction
• Experience in all or combination of residential construction including but not limited to carpentry, masonry, plumbing, electrical, and knowledge of building codes required.
• Experience and desire to teach high-school ages students in the Building/Construction Trades.
• Consideration will be given to all candidates who have at least a minimum of 3 years wage-earning experience and competency in CTE Building/Construction Trades and who possess an Occupational Competency Assessment Certificate in CTE
• Building/Construction Trades, or, are prepared to pass the assessment administered by an approved university.
• Strong and demonstrated “finishing” skills along with construction project management experience
• Experience managing people, especially work crews in construction setting
• Experience working in a team setting
• Ability to work enthusiastically with young people who have not completed high school and some who have extreme challenges and behaviors
• PA Criminal, PA Child Abuse, and Federal/FBI Background Checks
• Strong communication skills
• Ability to adapt from construction environment to school environment and back again
• Comfort with use of technology including hardware, like projectors and laptops andapplications such as Google Docs and MS Office.

Common Competencies

• Mission driven to work with YB’s student body
• Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Office skills
• Intermediate to advanced Google Suite skills
• Commitment to social justice
• Demonstrated values that align to Restorative Practices

Clearance Requirements

• FBI - Criminal History Report 
• PATCH - Pennsylvania Police Department - Criminal Background Check (and/or applicable based on State of residency) 
• PA Child Abuse History Clearance 
• TB Test Results 
• Act 24 - Arrest Conviction Form 
• NSOPW - National Sex Offender Clearance 

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by this employee. He or she will be required to follow any other instructions and to perform any other duties requested by his or her supervisor.

All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, medical condition, veteran status or any other basis as protected by federal, state, or local law.