ROAD established a Vocational Training Apprenticeship Program “V-Tap” following the cancellation of all volunteer teams in March 2020 due to COVID-19. Recovery from the 2019 spring storms left many families still in need so a new innovative labor force had to be created.
In partnership with the State Career Tech, curriculum was created, and a Certificate of Competency was designed so that every participant is issued a documented educational certificate upon completion. Participants learn all means of home repair while meeting the needs of the disaster survivor. They can be certified in Construction Tools, Tarping, Roofing, Framing, Drywall, Insulation, Flooring, Trim, Paint, Siding, Fixtures, and Construction Knowledge, as well as earn an OSHA 10 Construction Industry certificate.
ROAD’s first V-Tap team of 6 apprentices were obtained through Green Country WorkForce which were unemployed individuals who had a barrier to employment. Each participant received a 6 month on-the-job work experience with full pay and benefits provided by the WorkForce Innovation and Opportunity Act distributed through the Department of Commerce. The team began November 10, 2020 with two weeks of classroom training at Tulsa Tech followed by hands on experience at disaster survivors homes. This team completed home repairs for 23 disaster surviving families across 5 counties, amassing a combined 2,612 hours of service worth $59,945.40 in labor value.
In October 2024, the program was further expanded in partnership with SBP utilizing their AmeriCorps participants to create 10 month on-the-job work experiences.
This program is a WIN-WIN-WIN for the disaster surviving family, the apprentice, and ROAD as they continue to make homes home again.
“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”
~Lao Tzu