Columbia Housing partners with Midlands Tech to train maintenance workers
The Columbia Housing Authority and Midlands Technical College announced on Wednesday that the two organizations are partnering on an apprenticeship program to help train maintenance workers at the housing authority. It is the first registered apprenticeship program at a public housing authority in South Carolina.
“This is a significant investment in Columbia Housing residents and their families,” said Ronald Rhames, the president of Midlands Tech.
The two-year apprenticeship consists of a mix of classroom training and hands-on work. Skills covered in the program will run the gamut from repairing HVAC systems to fixing drywall and more.
Six Columbia Housing employees are currently in the program. Ivory Mathews, CEO of the Housing Authority, said more plan to enroll. Rhames said he eventually wants to expand the program to train housing authority residents too.
Upon completing the program, the apprentices will earn credentials from the U.S. Department of Labor. Mathews said they would also be eligible for a promotion and a pay raise.
“It’s a win-win for everyone,” she said, adding that she hopes other housing authorities across the state start their own apprenticeships.
