Robert Nunez

NC State University Construction Extension Program in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering (NCSU-CCEE) will be able to collaborate with the College of Education (NCSU-CED), NCSU Carolina’s Student Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America (NCSU CAGC), Carolina’s Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America (CAGC), and with the UNC Partnership for National Security (UNC SERVES) to provide military veterans with much needed training to facilitate the career transition from military service into the field of Construction Engineering and Construction Project Management. The addition of experienced military personnel to North Carolina infrastructure projects will satisfy a growing demand for organizational and leadership skills in construction engineering trades and project management. As a result, owners, developers, contractors can expect continuous increases in economic efficiency and safety. Long term and with additional funding, this program will also result in a sustainable partnership between CCEE and CED faculty, students, industry representatives, and the military through a regularly offered outreach seminar series managed by NCSU’s Construction Extension services.

Mobile cranes are vital to the economical construction of nearly every construction project. Their ability to be rapidly installed and lift heavy loads over long spans makes them a versatile and indispensable piece of construction equipment. However, these same characteristic make mobile cranes subject to catastrophic failures that can risk the lives of construction workers and the general public. The need for qualified operators who have been trained in safe operations, and who have passed a rigorous examination program, is critical for the safe use of mobile cranes. Additionally, new safety regulations place a large burden on small construction companies that rely on cranes for the success of their business and do not have the necessary resources to properly train their employees. By means of this proposal, the Construction Extension Program in the department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering (CCEE) will be able to join forces with the Carolina?s chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America (CAGC) to target small construction businesses and provide much needed training and certification to ensure the safe use of mobile cranes in construction. While enhancing the overall safety of North Carolina Construction Projects, this program will also result in a long-term partnership between CCEE and CAGC (which is of the largest construction trade associations in the Carolinas) and will lead to an outreach expansion of NCSU?s construction extension services.