Construction program geared to helping small business owners

This year, it began March 29 at the Miami Dade College Kendall Campus, running nightly on Tuesdays and Thursdays through June 21.

The graduation ceremony took place June 23 at the Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus Chapman Conference Center. Each participant got a certificate of completion.

Additional partners in the training program are the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce, Miami Dade College Community Education and the Southern Florida Minority Supplier Development Council. 

Many participants are the county-certified owners and operators of the company they represent. They include small business owners who function as general contractors and subcontractors offering services and products such as interior design, painting, landscaping, flooring, land clearing, construction cleaning, tile, roofing, cabinetry, electrical, plumbing and other businesses related to the construction industry. 

The course covers topics such as business development, pre-construction and estimating, contract surety bonds, bidding and purchasing procedures, safety on the jobsite, quality control, contract risk management, contracts 101,  building information modeling (BIM), Introduction to green building, LEED, blue print reading and specifications, construction ethics, chapter 558 construction defects, chapter 489 construction law and rules and much more, including community presenters with topics such as “how to do business” with various organizations.

Turner Construction Company has for more than a quarter-century offered free training courses that have helped many people. One of its  major community contributions has been to provide these professional construction management courses to help small, minority and women owned professionals work and compete for contracts in the construction industry. 

The training program serves to expand the skills of minority, women, disadvantaged and small-business enterprises and the company says it has been crucial in helping Turner achieve successful contracts with M/WBEs across the country.

Since it began in 1969, 32,000 graduates have passed through the program nationally.

The latest batch of Miami-Dade graduates comprises Sylvia Abreu, Hodges Erectors Inc.; Rodrigo Arriaga, Turnkey International; Harry J. Ballard III, independent estimator; Yolanda    Bielovucic, Miami-Dade Aviation Department, Minority Affairs Division; Brian G. Bitar De Zayas, Bitar Construction Co.; Winifred D. Browne, ECO Solution Group LLC.; Juan    Campos, Cobo Construction Corp.; Heberto Cano, Cano Inc.

Also, Michael Carter, Vanguard Construction; Lennox Charles, Fl Construction  Inc.; Dee Coakley, Coakley Mechanical; Greg Dahlke, Safety Check Property Inspection Group Inc.;  Diane Dalman, Construction Recruiters America Inc.; Anthony Davis, Omega D Designs; Cheryl de Cespedes, Merkury Development; Angela DeZayas-Bitar, De  Zayas-Bitar Construction Co.; Francisco G. Dominguez, JJAS Door Installation; Peter Epperson, Epperson Cranes Inc.

Also, Orville Evans, Evans Industrial Service; Valentin Fernandez, Cobo Construction Corp.; Jose Franco, Florida Construction & Restoration; Alejandro Gomez, AE Atelier Corp.; Richard Gutierrez, R.G. Homebuilders; Roberto Gutierrez, Guthroy Builders Inc.; Olga Hasbun, VIP & Associates & Co. Inc.; Tony    Hyppolite, Outlook International; Federico Lacayo, Heavy Iron Welding; Latrice Lamar, Lamar Family Enterprise; Todd Long, Taylor McKensie Developers.

Also,  Dibb Machuca, MGM General Contracting; Soraya Marles, JJAS Door Installations Inc.; Mercedes Martinez, Deco Roofing LLC.;  Sheri McGriff, Miami-Dade County Small Business Development Department; Richard Mirabal,    Primary Construction & Management Team LLC; Ratree Miros, Aper Construction Company; Walter Miros, Contex Construction Co.; Lafayette    Morgan, HB Enterprises LLC; Maxine Osbourne,    Evans Industrial Service;  Mauricio Palacios, People's Plumbing; Mellany Paynter, Asset Builders LLC;  Alexander Porto, De Zayas-Bitar Construction Co.

Also, Juan Reigosa, Serviam Corp.; Ann C. Rich, FIU/ABC student chapter member; D'Ann    Ricketts, Barden Contracting LLC; Tammy Roberts, The Old Renaissance Man Inc.; Douglas Robinson, Vanguard Construction;  David R. Rosa, CECOS Inc.; Yasmina Sanabria, S&K Quality Contractor  Inc.; Jhacson Saavedra, JJAS Door Installations Inc.

Also, Luie Solorzano, Structure Cabling Solutions; Leonel Son, Turnkey International Inc.; Jaime Tafur, Tafur Construction Corp.; Frank Telfort, Outlook International; Alexandra Topole, A Green World Construction Co Inc.; Edna Viteri, AE Atelier Corp.; and Lee Viteri, AECOM.

For more information, call the Miami-Dade Department of Small Business Development, 305-375-3123.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TURNER CONSTRUCTION

CONSTRUCTION COURSE: Participants take part in a recent Turner School of Construction Management Training Course held at the Miami Dade College Kendall Campus.