Engaging the Next Generation of Building Safety Professionals
Annual event brought in high school and college students from the surrounding area to introduce them to the building safety industry and provide them with opportunities to connect with industry experts.
Well-trained, motivated building safety professionals are key to creating and maintaining a successful built environment. These dedicated experts, including building inspectors, plan reviewers and code enforcement officers, are responsible for enforcing and implementing applicable building codes, standards and regulations to ensure the buildings in our communities remain safe.
There is a tremendous work opportunity for qualified candidates seeking careers in the building safety industry. Many seasoned professionals are approaching retirement, creating a growing gap in the industry’s workforce.
Annual Event Introduces Students to the Building Safety Industry
On August 17, 2023, the Building Officials Association of Texas (BOAT) hosted their Fourth Annual Career Development Day in College Station, TX. The event brought in high school and college students from the surrounding area to introduce them to the building safety industry and provide them with opportunities to connect with industry experts.
The event included educational sessions featuring the International Code Council’s Technical Training Program (TTP), discussions on building safety career opportunities, networking events, mentorship opportunities where students could speak with building safety professionals including Code Council Board Member Shirley Ellis, and a presentation on the Safety 2.0 Initiative.
“With the average age of building professionals steadily increasing, it is more imperative than ever to train the next generation to secure the future success of our communities,” said Alex Kerr, Manager, Next Generation Training, for the Code Council. “We very much appreciate events like BOAT’s Career Development Day because awareness is half the battle; young people can’t engage if they don’t know their options. With the Code Council’s Safety 2.0 initiative, we help young professionals explore those options and empower their futures through training and development, and we’re excited about the future of building professionals.”
Watch the 2023 BOAT Career Development Day video here.
International Code Council Supports the Next Generation of Building Safety Professionals
The Code Council’s Safety 2.0 Initiative strives to provide students with the necessary resources and knowledge to enter and excel within the industry.
As featured at the BOAT Career Development Day, the Code Council’s TTP is a flexible educational program based on the International Residential Code® divided into five parts: building, plumbing, HVAC (mechanical), electrical and energy. This structure enables a technical school to integrate one or more parts of the program into its current construction trade curricula better to provide students with a comprehensive knowledge of construction trades.
Through this program, students can become better prepared to pursue career and college opportunities by learning up-to-date code information and technical training that goes hand-in-hand with practical training for the workplace.
Other Safety 2.0 programs include:
- Emerging Leaders Membership Council
- Members in the Military
- Chapter Leadership Academy
- Board Shadow Program
- Journey to Leadership
- Code Council Innovation
Learn more about the Code Council’s Safety 2.0 Initiative here.
About the Author
The International Code Council is a nonprofit association that provides a wide range of building safety solutions, including product evaluation, accreditation, certification, codification and training. It develops model codes and standards used worldwide to construct safe, sustainable, affordable and resilient structures.
