Opportunity+

WSB Celebrates Graduation of Fifth Opportunity+ Cohort

April 10, 2024

Participants of the 2024 cohort of Opportunity+ have successfully completed the training program and celebrated with a graduation in early April.

Minneapolis, Minn. – Design and consulting firm WSB today announced the graduation of the 2024 Opportunity+ cohort. Opportunity+ is a free workforce training and development program focused on preparing participants for successful careers as civil engineering technicians.

This free and fast-paced training program was founded with the intent to reduce and remove some of the barriers to a successful career as a civil engineering technician. As Opportunity+ celebrates its fifth year, it has grown into a robust program— reaching new audiences and diversifying the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry.

“What makes Opportunity+ so unique is that it is driven solely to prepare the participants for a long-lasting career,” said Laura Rescorla, program manager. “We try our best to make this program accessible to anyone that is interested. This year, we transitioned to a faster-paced program to better accommodate those enrolled. We want each participant to be successful, and I am incredibly proud of this year’s graduates.”

The 2024 Opportunity+ cohort celebrated 11 graduates on April 4. The cohort underwent an efficient six-week training in various aspects required for civil engineering technicians. With both classroom learning and hands-on experiences, graduates are now well-equipped for a future in this industry with skills necessary to launch careers in surveying, construction materials testing and site inspection.

“Our goal is to constantly improve. We are always looking for new ways to lead the AEC industry, and we are especially invested in supporting members of our community,” said Bret Weiss, president and CEO. “Opportunity+ is one way we can help those around us. We are building the program to better support the needs of our participants, and I am thrilled to see 11 successful graduates prepare for long-term careers. Civil engineering technicians are critical to our infrastructure. I am confident that each graduate now has the skills to make a positive impact on infrastructure— the places, spaces and systems that support our lives.”

WSB is committed to the growth of this program. The firm values increasing diversity and finding ways to be more inclusive. Opportunity+ continues to play an active role in expanding the reach of the AEC industry while preparing participants with knowledge to dive into positions as civil engineering technicians.

WSB Champions Workforce Education, Hosts Largest Opportunity+ Cohort Graduation in Fourth Year of Program

Opportunity+ is a free civil engineering career training program that opens up career opportunities for underrepresented persons in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC)  industry.

March 30, 2023

Design and consulting firm WSB announced today that the company’s fourth Opportunity+ class graduated 11 participants this month – the largest class to date. Opportunity+ is a workforce training and development program designed to prepare participants for long-term careers in the civil engineering industry.

“We build the places, spaces and systems that shape our world, and it’s so exciting to help program participants pursue careers in the exciting field of civil engineering,” said Bret Weiss, WSB’s president and CEO. “As we strive to build a workforce that accurately reflects the communities we serve, I’m proud to see the largest Opportunity+ cohort to date graduate. What’s more, this year, we placed a special emphasis on recruiting veterans to our program and helping translate their meaningful skills into training for a career in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry.”

The Opportunity+ program prioritizes training a diverse participant pool to ensure every person has the opportunity for advancement in engineering. In the past, the program has focused on recruiting women and people of color. While still a major focus, this year, the program put an emphasis on recruitment efforts in the veteran community, with 56% of this year’s class identifying as veterans.

Over the course of January to April, program participants underwent intensive training through evening and weekend sessions designed to provide hands-on experience. The program’s flexible schedule enables participants to continue their daytime employment while completing the training. As a result of Opportunity+, participants are now fully equipped with the necessary skills to pursue a career as engineering technicians, a versatile position within the civil engineering industry that can lead to many different career paths.

WSB would like to thank its hiring partners from other companies and firms for allowing participants to be exposed to a well-rounded understanding of the industry and broadening their hiring options. Hiring partners include Westwood Professional Services, GeoWall Designs, Frattalone Companies, Hennepin County, James R. Hill, Inc., and the city of Saint Paul.

Opportunity+ welcomes fourth cohort into free civil engineering career training program 

January 25, 2023

The targeted workforce training and development program aims to diversify the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) Industry. 

Design and consulting firm WSB today announced that the company has launched its fourth Opportunity+ cohort. Opportunity+ is a workforce training and development program designed to prepare participants for long-term careers in the civil engineering industry. The program, first launched in January 2020, is a free and fast-paced training course led by experts from throughout the AEC industry. This year’s cohort has 17 participants enrolled.  

From January through March, program participants will receive accelerated training through evening sessions. The flexible schedule allows participants to continue working during the day while completing the hands-on program. Upon completion of the program, participants will be prepared for careers as engineering technicians, survey crew members, construction materials technicians and site inspectors – all high-demand positions in civil engineering.  

“This is our largest cohort to date, and I’m thrilled that we’re making real progress in building opportunities for all people interested in civil engineering.”

Bret Weiss, WSB President and CEO

“This is our largest cohort to date, and I’m thrilled that we’re making real progress in building opportunities for all people interested in civil engineering,” said Bret Weiss, WSB’s president and CEO. “We are committed to actionable change and to diversifying our industry. While many companies have a focus on diversity and inclusion, we’re creating real opportunity and it’s been incredibly rewarding to watch our participants build their careers both inside the walls of WSB and with our partners.” 

In 2023, Opportunity+ expanded recruitment efforts into the veteran community with 56% of this year’s cohort identifying as veterans. The veteran community is another untapped talent market with a diverse population. Many veterans have skills that lend themselves well to civil engineering careers.  

New this year is the addition of Opportunity+ hiring partners including Frattalone Companies, a construction firm specializing in civil site construction, James R. Hill, Inc., a full-service land development consulting firm, GeoWall Designs LLC, a retaining wall design company and Westwood Professional Services, a multi-disciplined land surveying and engineering company.  Expanding and growing the program outside of WSB has been a long-term goal.  In its fourth year, the program’s curriculum was at a place where it made sense to expand its reach across the industry to broaden hiring options for participants.  

“Joining Opportunity+ as a hiring partner made complete sense,” said Nick Frattalone, Frattalone Companies’ Chief Executive Officer. “In today’s labor market, finding skilled workers is a challenge across our industry. The types of skills that are learned through the program are not only relevant to supporting our business operations, but also represent our commitment to diversity and inclusion efforts.” 

Since the program’s inception, 17 participants have graduated. Opportunity+ was built to provide a pathway into the AEC industry for those that are generally underrepresented in it, specifically women and people of color. The intent of the program is to reduce and remove some of the barriers to a successful career in civil engineering.  

“The current demand for civil engineering technicians far exceeds the available talent, and many qualified candidates don’t have the time or resources to complete formal education in this field,” said Julie Thiel, WSB’s vice president of human resources. “This year, we expanded our recruiting efforts and felt strongly about welcoming more partners into the fold. Building a more diverse workforce is not just one firm’s responsibility, but rather our entire industry’s and I’m looking forward to the future of this fast-growing program.” 

Opportunity+ officially launched on January 24. The intent is to connect every cohort participant interested in pursuing a career in the industry to full-time positions following the program. They will be invited to interview for open positions with WSB and its hiring partners that can lead to greater responsibility and lifelong careers. 

WSB launches second Opportunity+ cohort

The targeted workforce training and development program aims to diversify AEC industry.

Design and consulting firm WSB today announced that the company has launched its second Opportunity+ cohort. Opportunity+ is the firm’s workforce training and development program designed to prepare participants for long-term careers in the civil engineering industry. The program, first launched in January 2020, is a free and fast-paced training course led by experts at WSB.

“We have a responsibility as leaders in the AEC industry to build diversity and opportunities for all people interested in civil engineering,” said Bret Weiss, WSB’s president and CEO. “I am thrilled to kick-off our next cohort and introduce our participants to the world of construction materials testing and surveying.”

From January through April, eight program participants will receive accelerated training through evening and weekend sessions. The flexible schedule allows participants to continue working during the day while completing the hands-on program. Upon completion of the program, Opportunity+ participants will be trained in surveying and construction materials testing – two high-demand positions in civil engineering.

“Even though my dream was to pursue a career in an engineering-related field, I never had the opportunity after finishing my GED,” said Salvador Santibañez Sánchez, a member of this year’s Opportunity+ cohort. “I’m ready for a career change and I see this training as a great opportunity to put me on the right path of what I believe is my true calling, where I can use my skills and learn new ones.”

Nine cohort members completed the first Opportunity+ training class and received their certificates. WSB hired two program participants from the first Opportunity+ cohort. Through hiring partners and WSB’s own hiring practices, the intent is to place every cohort participant interested in pursuing a career in civil engineering following completion of the program.

“I’m looking forward to launching our second cohort not only to help provide access to rewarding careers in the industry, but also to continue our efforts to build a more diverse workforce,” said Laura Rescorla, WSB engineer and program manager of Opportunity+. “It’s been a rewarding experience and we have another impressive cohort eager to explore new possibilities that may not have been accessible to them in the past.”

Program partners include Emerge Community Development, Eastside Employment xChange, City of Minneapolis, City of Saint Paul, Hennepin County and Ramsey County.

WSB hosts graduation for free civil engineering career training program

May 21, 2020

Design and consulting firm WSB today announced that the company’s first Opportunity+ cohort graduated in a virtual ceremony. The program, Opportunity+, is a new workforce training and development program designed to prepare participants for long-term careers in the civil engineering industry. Opportunity+ launched in January of this year and is a free and fast-paced training course led by experts at WSB. Nine cohort members completed the first Opportunity+ training class and received their certificates during the ceremony.

“I am honored to have played in role in introducing the program participants to the world of civil engineering,” said Bret Weiss, WSB’s president and CEO. “The communities we live and work in are far more diverse than our industry. Opportunity+ is just one of the ways we are working towards building a workforce that looks more like the communities we serve. I am so proud of our graduates and their ability to master the skills needed for a successful career in the AEC industry.”

From January through April, program participants received accelerated training through evening and weekend sessions. The flexible schedule allowed participants to continue working during the day while completing the hands-on program. Today, Opportunity+ participants are prepared for careers as surveyors – a high-demand position in civil engineering.

 “The future of the Opportunity+ program is bright,” said Laura Rescorla, WSB engineer and program manager of Opportunity+. “We have plans to make a couple of tweaks and are currently exploring expansion opportunities for the 2021 cohort. I am so impressed with the participants and their dedication to growing their careers and taking a chance on something new.”

WSB has hired two program participants and has extended offers to several others.  The firm is working with hiring partners to help participants find their place in the industry and begin new career paths.

Program partners include the City of Minneapolis, CareerForce, Center for Economic Inclusion, EMERGE Community Development, Hennepin County and the City of Saint Paul.