ConstructionTechnology
Learn real renovation skills in the classroom and on an actual job site — and potentially earn a financial stipend while doing it. Classes run four weeks and award up to 8 college credit hours.
About the Program
Build Skills. Earn Credits. Work on a Real House.
Through a partnership with the Colorado Attorney General’s Office, TSC Construction Technology students spend mornings in class and afternoons working on derelict houses being renovated and sold in Trinidad and the San Luis Valley. Students earn college credit using curriculum from the National Council for Construction Education and Research (NCCER).
Financial Stipend Available
Students may receive a generous financial stipend for their afternoon work at the job site. Equipment including power tools, ladders, and safety gear is provided. Contact us for current stipend details.
“I am proud to partner with Trinidad State on this important work for the region and thrilled with the launch of COPERR through Trinidad State’s Construction and Housing Renovation classes. This is a wonderful opportunity for aspiring individuals in Southern Colorado to start lifelong careers in the skilled trades, while also addressing labor shortages in the region, helping transform blighted housing to address the regional housing shortage, and revitalizing communities in Las Animas County and the surrounding communities.”
— Phil Weiser, Colorado Attorney General
The program is funded by the Colorado Partnership for Education and Rural Revitalization (COPERR) through the Colorado Attorney General’s Office. Trinidad State was awarded a $1.66 million grant in 2020. Several dozen blighted houses in Trinidad and the Alamosa area are on the renovation list.
Depending on the house, students can expect hands-on experience with demolition, framing, sheetrock, painting, and flooring.
Degrees & Certificates
Already completed NCCER Core? Take CAR 2070 (Clinical Construction Lab II, 3 credits) in place of CON 1057 + CAR 1070.
NCCER Core Curriculum Certificate
Safety, construction math, blueprint reading, hand tools, power tools, rigging, communication, and material handling — aligned to the NCCER national curriculum standard.
Clinical Construction Lab I Certificate
Apply classroom learning at a real renovation site under instructor supervision. Students work hands-on in demolition, framing, drywall, painting, and flooring as the project allows.
Program Cost
Where You Can Study
This program is offered at the following TSC campus locations.
Current Course Schedule
| Type | Days | Time | Location | Dates | Instructor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class | F/S | 8:00 am – 6:00 pm | Banta Vocational 101 | Apr 13 – May 6, 2026 | Adam Robert Smith |
Section 31617 · Registration: Oct 1, 2025 – Apr 15, 2026 ·
Section 31617 · Registration: Oct 1, 2025 – Apr 15, 2026 · View Class Schedule
| Type | Days | Time | Location | Dates | Instructor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class | F/S | 8:00 am – 6:00 pm | Off Campus / D2L | Apr 13 – May 6, 2026 | Adam Robert Smith |
Section 31618 · Registration: Oct 1, 2025 – Apr 15, 2026 · View Class Schedule
NCCER Core Curriculum
Topics Covered in Class
Morning classroom sessions follow the NCCER national construction curriculum. Here’s what you’ll learn before heading to the job site each afternoon.
Basic Safety
Jobsite hazard awareness, common causes of incidents, PPE use, and safety in specific environments including welding areas and confined spaces.
Construction Math
Trade-relevant math skills covering measurement systems, decimals, fractions, and basic geometry as applied on the job.
Hand Tools
Identification, safe use, and maintenance of common hand tools across a variety of construction crafts.
Power Tools
Operation, safety handling, and basic maintenance for the power tools most commonly found on construction sites.
Construction Drawings
How to read blueprints: common components, drawing types, scale use, and how to take measurements from drawings.
Basic Rigging
Rigging hardware such as slings and hoists, rigging hitches, and safe working practices around rigging operations.
Communication Skills
Effective written and verbal communication on the job, with emphasis on reading skills and trade-specific formats.
Employability Skills
Career opportunities in construction trades, critical thinking, problem-solving, and positive workplace social skills.
Material Handling
Safe techniques for handling materials on the job site, avoiding injury and property damage, and an introduction to common material-handling equipment.
Where You’ll Work
Real Houses. Real Experience.
Students work on actual homes in Trinidad and the San Luis Valley that are being renovated through the COPERR program. Past sites have included homes on Stonewall Street in Trinidad and Morton Street in Monte Vista.
In the Field
Construction Technology in Action
Where You'll Go
Real job market data for the careers our graduates pursue, powered by Lightcast.
Contact Us
Have questions about this program? Reach out to a faculty or staff member.
- TitleDean of Instruction
- DepartmentBUS, CIS, Prison Education
- LocationTrinidad, Colorado • 210 Berg
- EmailLiAnn.Richardson@trinidadstate.edu
- TitleFaculty
- DepartmentConstruction Trades
- LocationAlamosa, Colorado • 100A Main
- Emailpatrick.martinez@trinidadstate.edu
- TitleDean of Instruction
- DepartmentBUS, CIS, ECE
- LocationAlamosa, Colorado • 112 Main
- Emailemily.hammer@trinidadstate.edu
- TitleConstruction Trades Instructor
- DepartmentDepartment Name
- LocationAlamosa, Colorado
- EmailAdam.Smith@trinidadstate.edu