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While construction activities have not stopped in Oregon as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship training programs have.

Union and nonunion training centers alike have shuttered their operations in the past two weeks to avoid unnecessary face-to-face interactions. One is Oregon Tradeswomen Inc., which last month celebrated the opening of its new 8,000-square-foot shop and headquarters in Southeast Portland. Now its office is closed through March 31.

鈥淚 can tell you that all staff are currently working remotely,鈥� OTI communications director Mary Ann Naylor said. 鈥淲e were able to complete training in the new space, but we did cancel the graduation ceremony on March 12.鈥�

OTI canceled an environmental worker training and delayed the start of its spring pre-apprenticeship training until April 14. In addition, the group’s popular annual career fair, normally held in May, has been rescheduled this year for Sept. 25 and 26.

鈥淲e’re in process of sorting out the details, and making backup plans,鈥� Naylor said. 鈥淲e are also looking at ways to up our technology game to provide components of our training and education in a virtual manner, including information sessions about our class, career education, and portions of our curriculum that currently happen in the classroom.鈥�

Virtually all union-affiliated training centers in the Portland-metro area shut down in-person operations before Friday, said Robert Camarillo, executive secretary of the Oregon State Building and Construction Trades Council. One of the only exceptions is Operating Engineers Local 701, which is continuing to offer limited training due to the nature of the trade, which places operators outside the normal risks inherent on a crowded jobsite.

鈥淲e had a conference call, and just about every one of (the training centers) have closed down the apprenticeships for the next several months at least,鈥� Camarillo said. 鈥淪ome are utilizing long-distance learning to continue to offer instruction as much as possible. Everybody is getting a little creative.鈥�

Local 701 managed to wrap up a training round recently, said Jim Anderson, the union’s business manager. Recruitment and interviews of new apprentices will continue, he added, but full-scale training is on hold.

鈥淲e got the round of apprentices through last week,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here were 12 apprentices, and we had them set up two per instructor and we rotated them through. But for now we’re going to hold off on training classes until we get the OK from the governor.鈥�

At the Northwest College of Construction in Northeast Portland, all apprenticeship classes are suspended until at least April 5 while administrators try to devise ways in which to offer instruction safely.

Instructional efforts at NWCOC are changing to remote and online forms for the time being, said Laurie Emery, the college’s interim executive director. Also, administrative staffers are being asked to work from home.

鈥淲e’ve never experienced anything like this before,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y team and I are developing an online training system that will go into effect April 6, but we’re still working out all of the kinks. As far as we’re concerned we will continue with classes, just with no hands-on instruction.鈥�

The timeline is uncertain at present, but when circumstances allow, students will be able to receive required in-person instruction and take exams.

鈥淚t’s not a perfect system, but it keeps students in classes,鈥� Emery said. 鈥淥ur concern is not having students get too far behind, as well as those apprentices also who are ready to graduate. We want to help them meet that goal and as soon as possible.鈥�

None of this will happen on regular schedule, Emery said, but it will allow the college to meet the hourly training requirements for the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries. The pandemic also is hastening plans by the college to move more instruction online, she added.

鈥淲e’ve been talking about online training for some time, but it’s never really fit into our model,鈥� she said, mainly because National Center for Construction Education and Research accreditation requires in-person testing with a proctor.

鈥淭hat makes it difficult to go to a fully online program,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut in a way it makes me glad that we have this option available to us now. Maybe it’s a future option for us; I don’t know. It will be based on what BOLI allows, but at least we have a framework.鈥�