Florida Technical College (FTC) selected Building Talent Foundation (BTF), a non-profit organization committed to building a sustainable residential construction workforce, as its 2021 Construction Trades Partner of the Year. BTF CEO Branka Minic accepted the award on behalf of the tireless team at BTF.
The award was presented at the International Builders’ Show in Orlando at the Resideo Technologies Inc. booth. Resideo, an Impact Partner for BTF, is a pro-first company that is focused on partnering with Building Talent Foundation to help bring 100,000 new skilled technical workers into the building trades by 2030.
“We’re thrilled and honored to be named FTC’s Construction Trades Program Partner of the Year,” stated Minic. “Over the previous year, we made significant headway in creating new employment opportunities for their students to help them strive toward success in and out of the classroom.”
Michael Reese, an FTC alumnus, benefitted from BTF’s efforts. Michael worked in an Amazon Warehouse before he graduated from FTC. After he graduated, BTF helped Michael secure a position as an electrician with BTF Employer Partner Borrell Electric in Tampa.
“I learn something new every day,” Michael said. “The pay is great, but the biggest benefit that comes with working for Borrell Electric is that they offered me the opportunity to go to the company school for four years to prepare for my Journeyman Certification.”
Another FTC graduate that BTF connected with one of its Employer Partners is Cameron Phillip. Before receiving job placement assistance from BTF, he worked in commercial lawn care. Now Cameron is an electrician with Wilson Electric in Tampa and is close to achieving his Journeyman Electrician status.
Cameron likes that Wilson Electric is a small family-owned business and that he gets a lot of quality repetition in the field. “The amount I have learned on the job is insane,” Cameron said. “We do everything from residential to commercial. We do a lot of truck stops, and almost every single restaurant uses us for their service calls. I’m grateful for the opportunity.”
“Building Talent Foundation has become a critical and important partner for FTC,” stated Dr. James Michael Burkett, President of FTC. “Thanks to the great partnership we have with the organization, it has led to remarkable programs designed to empower and further the development of our students.”
“This isn’t the end of our efforts,” added Minic. “We’ll continue to cultivate new opportunities and enhance our relationship with FTC to support their students and meet the needs of our communities.”
