Graham Kilmer

A School for Construction Skills

Business owner's job training center will employ inner city workers.

By - May 24th, 2017 12:07 pm
5424-30 W. Lisbon Ave. Rendering.

5424-30 W. Lisbon Ave. Rendering.

A local business owner is moving forward with plans to establish a job training school for construction trades in the Uptown neighborhood.

Perry Lindsey, owner of P.L. Innovations LLC, which works in construction and trucking, was approved by the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development committee Tuesday to buy a city-owned property at 5424-5430 W. Lisbon Ave.

5424-5430 W. Lisbon Ave. Photo from the City of Milwaukee.

5424-5430 W. Lisbon Ave. Photo from the City of Milwaukee.

The building was formerly used as a church and will cost Lindsey $10,000 to purchase from the city. He expects renovations of the property to cost about $50,000 and said he will provide a significant amount of “sweat equity” to the project.

In fact, some of that “sweat equity” will be used to train future tradesman, he said.

Lindsey was driven to start this school out of his personal experience hiring young men to work for him on construction sites.

“I’ve spent a lot of money bringing guys into my company and the skills are not there,” he said. “I want to perfect these skills.”

He spends the money to keep them employed, even when the skills are lacking, “because they have families,” he said.

Lindsey has been a union tradesman since 1992, and said the instructors that will be training the young workers will largely be retired union tradesman.

The retirees’ idle hands will be put to work in Lindsey’s workshop, and they know the skills, “like the back of their hands,” he said.

Some trades that individuals will be able to pick up at Lindsey’s future school include: drywall, lead abatement, painting, plumbing, and other construction-related skills.

As an employer, Lindsey said he has plenty of people that want work as laborers, but added, “I can have a million laborers, but that just means picking up wood over here and putting it over there. I want you to learn your skills.”

The school will allow students to be working and building their skills at the same time, Lindsey said. One way it will work is if someone messes up on the job, they’ll have the chance to go to the school and refine the skill so it doesn’t happen again.

Lindsey doesn’t care if individuals he trains go on to work for competing firms or start their own. “That’s the whole plan,” he said; creating skilled employment for central city residents is his aim.

“It’s a lot of construction going on in the inner city and I want them to be a part of it,” he said.

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Categories: Real Estate

7 thoughts on “A School for Construction Skills”

  1. Rita says:

    Mr Lindsey. I commend you for your plans to train workers for your industry. I worked as a job trainer and saw there were willing workers who didn’t! Heave the skills to be hired. Nor did they have the money to go to school. I hope the folks you hire appreciate your efforts and I hope you get recognition for it from the mayor and the governor. Rita Reinke , a citizen

  2. Thank God someone cares enough about these inner city youth to teach them skills that will last a lifetime!!!

  3. Michael Schwister says:

    Hat tip Mr. Lindsey!

  4. Michael says:

    Great Stewardship!!
    If we can help, please reach out!
    Michael

  5. We have as of April 4,2018 aquired our 501 C 3 nonprofit statis and we really can use donations to complete the school as we are very close to receiving our building permit from the city, Theirs a ton of work that needs to be done and any donations will be greatly appreciated and used to help these guys learn skills to be responsible and skilled people in the community. My office number is 414-269-9400 and e-mail is perrylndsy@gmail.com and if you just feel comfortable just sending a donation send it to P.O.Box 100706 Milwaukee, Wi 53210. The joy of seeing your money finish the building will make you apart of the movement in changing our city God Bless

  6. Perry Lindsey says:

    Sorry office number is 414-269-8400

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