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HETA's first grads welcome job prospects

Photo by JODY BOWES

Instructor Ivan Genao, front, center, poses with HETA's first marine joiner class, which graduated on Dec. 30.

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By JODY BOWES

Hernando Today correspondent

Published: January 2, 2010

Updated:

BROOKSVILLE - The end of 2009 marked the beginning of new opportunities for 15 Hernando County skilled laborers. They became the first class to graduate from the Hernando Employment and Training Association (HETA), completing marine joiner training.

Marine joiners install interior walls, ceilings, floors, and furniture aboard marine vessels from commercial ships and oil rigs to luxury cruise liners. Graduates (in alphabetical order) were Joshua Cash, Richard Fenton, Richard Kyle Fenton, Jeramiah Harris, Grant Healey, Jefferson Long, Lee Mahoney, Donald Mayberry, Robert McKinney, Elbert Merrick, Michael Miller, Angelco "Ricky" Momirov, Michael Morford, John Reis, Edward Tamargo

A nonprofit corporation, HETA opened in 2009 as a collaboration between its president, workforce development and training professional Edward Tordesillas, and JB Bowles, president of R&M Ship Technologies USA and R&M American Marine Products on Northeast Parkway.

They wanted to create local vocational training programs to help displaced skilled laborers, veterans, at-risk youth and ex-offenders through employer-contract training and career skills coaching.

Tordesillas, instructor Ivan Genao, and Project Director Alicia Berrios feel their first graduating class was a wonderful learning experience and great success. Class ran for 12 weeks, eight hours a day. Two new classes begin this month.

"Twelve of our 15 graduates have designated jobs. The other three are interviewing," said Tordesillas. "Some will work locally. Others are going to do contract work in Philadelphia. Starting pay is $20 an hour."

HETA hopes for 100 percent placement. All graduates receive lifetime assistance from the program.

The program has since caught the attention of more than a dozen shipbuilding and related companies.

"This is an industry in need," said Tordesillas. "The Tampa Port Authority received stimulus money to expand, and is planning to build a 400 to 500 foot vessel." He added that shipbuilding companies don't typically train marine joiners, and "off the street" hires can require excessive supervision and cost companies time and materials.

The program was initially funded by R&M, which needs trained, qualified contract laborers.

"Networking really works," said Tordesillas of their chance meeting at a Chamber of Commerce event. "R&M donated all the start-up money. The chamber guided me through the workforce board requirements for state certification."

Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse donated a full set of tools to each graduate. Other collaborators and supporters include Career Central; Florida Marine Joiner Services of Tampa; the Hernando County Office of Business Development; Kid Central; New Beginnings; and the Solar Source Institute.

Instructor Genao trained hands-on at shipyards and uses the employer's curriculum. He says it's an amazing science.

"There's a lot of math," he said "Measurements are metric. We learn conversions, how to read blueprints, and about layout design. Everything must fit exactly. Draftsmen design ships to much tighter tolerances than in typical construction work. There's no room for error."

There's also no room for error when working with the expensive materials. Insulated metal panels cost about $150 each. Students learn how to use, cut, and install them. As their final project, students built a model interior - walls, windows, and "wetwork" (bathroom).

Graduates Grant Healey of Masaryktown and Bert Merrick of Spring Hill gave a thumbs-up to the program. Healey's background was in restoring properties. He found HETA on Craig's List.

"Now we're carpenters with metal panels," he joked. "We put that model room together and took it apart seven times. Each time, we worked in different groups. Everybody learned the different aspects of the work. Ivan Genao is top-notch."

Merrick came from Virginia to pursue a job at a motorcycle shop, and saw HETA as an opportunity to start a new career.

"I'm very grateful for the opportunity," he said. "It was a lot of hands-on training and constant review of the finer points of the model. Ivan did an excellent job and the staff was very supportive. Now we have certified experience to take to any company."

Both Healey and Merrick have gone through the interview process. Merrick said he recently found 1,736 open shipbuilding jobs in the continental U.S., Hawaii and Alaska.

In HETA's computer lab, students work on professional development, interview techniques, resumes, and dressing for success. Tordesillas said employers are impressed by how class members present themselves.

Future training HETA plans to address includes green technology, manufacturing and machinist training. All training will be employer-linked and curricula designed by local employers with a need.

For more information on funding options or joining a HETA resource committees or board of directors, visit their website.

Get in touch:

Name - Hernando Training and Employment Association

Location - 3195 Premier Drive (In the Industrial Park), Brooksville

Telephone - 352-593-4131

Web site - www.hetacorp.com

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