The mobile-focused platform gives contractors a flexible way to train new workers, refresh skills and support career development.
The National Center for Construction Education and Research has launched a new digital training platform aimed at helping construction companies develop workers without requiring them to leave the jobsite for traditional classroom sessions.
Called CraftPro, the platform was introduced in August and provides self-paced training that workers can access primarily through mobile devices. The courses include instructional videos from industry professionals and cover a range of construction trades.
Training is currently offered in both English and Spanish.
A different approach to workforce development
NCCER developed CraftPro in response to the challenge contractors face when trying to train workers while keeping projects on schedule.
Lisa Strite, NCCER’s chief learning officer, said recruiting more workers is only one part of addressing construction’s workforce needs. Companies also need ways to develop the people they already e mploy.
CraftPro allows employers to create learning paths based on the specific skills workers need for their positions.
That approach is intended to make training more relevant to the work employees will perform. Instead of completing a course long before a particular skill is needed, workers can access training closer to the time they expect to use it.
The platform is designed to make those lessons available directly on workers’ phones.
Built for companies of different sizes
CraftPro uses a subscription model based on company size, giving contractors access to a library of courses covering multiple trades.
The system could be particularly useful for smaller contractors that do not have dedicated training departments or enough employees to justify running their own classroom programs.
Larger contractors can also use the platform to supplement existing training systems.
NCCER said CraftPro is not intended to replace apprenticeships or hands-on instruction. Instead, the organization describes it as an additional resource that can support classroom and jobsite training.
Workers can use the mobile lessons to learn new material or revisit skills they have already been taught.
Employer-specific learning paths
Another feature of CraftPro is the ability for employers to develop training paths connected to specific positions.
NCCER’s existing credentialing work remains separate from CraftPro, but the new platform can help employers establish training requirements for particular jobs within their organizations.
For example, a contractor could use a defined learning path to prepare a worker for a specific craft position or safety-related role.
The approach allows companies to focus training on the knowledge and skills they need from their workforce.
Training available in English and Spanish
NCCER has also emphasized language accessibility with the launch.
CraftPro’s courses are available in English and Spanish, giving contractors another way to provide consistent training to workers who may prefer either language.
Strite said providing instruction in a language workers understand is important to ensuring that language does not become an obstacle to career development.
Contractors are testing different uses
Early customers have begun incorporating CraftPro into existing workforce programs in different ways.
According to Strite, one customer has already recorded roughly 1,000 hours of learning on the platform and plans to use it with approximately 2,000 craft workers.
That company is incorporating CraftPro into its apprenticeship program, using the digital courses for part of the knowledge-based instruction while maintaining the broader apprenticeship structure.
The result is a hybrid training model that combines mobile learning with other forms of workforce development.
Other contractors can use the platform to supplement formal training programs when classroom capacity is limited.
For companies already investing in worker development, CraftPro may therefore serve less as a replacement for existing programs and more as another tool for filling training gaps.
A tool for new and experienced workers
While CraftPro can help introduce new employees to construction skills, NCCER also sees an opportunity to use the platform with experienced workers.
Employees can refresh technical knowledge, complete additional training or follow a learning path connected to their current role.
That flexibility is particularly relevant for contractors that need to keep developing their workforce without pulling employees away from projects for long periods.
As construction companies continue to look for ways to recruit, train and retain skilled workers, NCCER is positioning CraftPro as a digital addition to the traditional apprenticeship and jobsite training model.
