CAGC Foundation Launches Construction Business Academy
Carolinas AGC (CAGC) announced that the CAGC Foundation has officially launched the Construction Business Academy – a construction business development program designed to strengthen minority, disadvantaged and women-owned businesses to ensure their sustainability and growth. Dozens of stakeholders, community leaders, general contractors and other special guests gathered in Charlotte last week to welcome 18 businesses that will participate in the first regional cohort.
The Foundation was awarded $3.0 million in the state budget to host these academies to provide training and coaching to help businesses rebound after COVID and to support their efforts to learn and grow. With billions of dollars in state and federal funding for infrastructure, this program will help businesses successfully compete to work on the hundreds of construction projects in their communities and around the state.
The Construction Business Academy includes 12 sessions (one each week, in-person and virtual) that focus on areas critical to the growth and development of companies and business owners. Students will be supported with business coaching and access to technical resources for a full year.
The first cohort will be hosted in the Charlotte region with classes beginning January 11, 2023. Future cohorts will be created regionally in Raleigh, Greensboro and in eastern and western parts of North Carolina to ensure the curriculum and supportive services are accessible to all areas of the state.
The Academy concept is nothing new. Twelve years ago, the CAGC Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Academy graduated over 200 participants through a joint venture between Carolinas AGC, the University of North Carolina System, the North Carolina HUB Office, and other stakeholders. In her remarks at the kick-off event, Tammie Hall-Roberts, the Director of the NC HUB Office said, “I am excited to see the return of an enhanced HUB Academy—The Construction Business Academy. We should never be afraid to be life-learners to meet the changes in industry standards. I look forward to supporting you through the Academy and more importantly, celebrating you at graduation.”
Betsy Bailey, CAGC’s NC Government Relations and Building Division Director serves as the Program Director for the Academies. “We are so proud and excited to once again offer this program in North Carolina to ensure all businesses have an opportunity to participate in the robust construction economy in our state due to state and federal investment in infrastructure and our strong population growth,” Bailey said. “Our goal is to help and support hundreds of companies that can build these projects while increasing their revenue and growing their business.”
Carolinas AGC is the construction industry association in the Carolinas, bringing value to our thousands of members through networking, government relations, job leads, meetings with owners/designers, education and training involving such issues as safety and open shop, and community development. Visit us at www.cagc.org, connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Please join us at any of our 100+ networking and business opportunities in 2023!
