EPISODE 405: As fewer students opt for trade schools, addressing today’s skills gap in construction seems far-fetched. But this episode might inspire others to step up and educate the trades of the future. In this week’s episode, I’m joined by an old friend of mine, Jim Jones. Jim is the program director of skilled crafts and trades at Colorado Mountain College (CMC). With a wealth of experience from his years in the construction industry, he built an automotive program for a local high school in partnership with CMC and eventually took on the directorship role. Today, Jim and I talk about his journey from his humble beginning as a lift mechanic to his current role as an educational innovator and how his unwavering passion for mechanics has crafted educational pathways for tradespeople. Discover how CMC is revolutionizing trade education to meet the evolving demands of the construction industry. We also discuss the significant role of partnerships in trade programs and CMC’s future projects aimed at integrating sustainability and modern technologies into trade education. Ready to explore how you can turn your trade skills into a thriving career and help shape the future of construction? Tune in now to learn more! Key Takeaways:  Introduction (00:00) From on-site construction to classroom lessons (06:31) The importance of practical application in trade programs (13:22) Expansion of trade programs at CMC (18:45) Integrating sustainability and innovation in trade education (26:37) Opportunities for technology providers (33:42) Keep up with Jim (36:17) Construction technology news of the week (37:55) Additional Resources: Listen to the show at: https://thecontechcrew.com  Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thecontechcrew  —  Follow Jim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-jones-031b7067/ Visit Colorado Mountain College for more information: https://coloradomtn.edu/ —  See this week’s news articles! 🗞️⬇️ ➡️ How the AI that Drives ChatGPT Will Move Into the Physical World https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/11/technology/ai-robots-technology.html ➡️ Yann Lecun: Meta AI, Open Source, Limits of LLMs, AGI & the Future of AI https://lexfridman.com/yann-lecun-3 ➡️ VenHub: The Future of Retail https://www.venhub.com/ ➡️ Artificial Intelligence Powers A New Era In Construction https://www.forbes.com/sites/louismosca/2023/07/12/artificial-intelligence-powers-a-new-era-in-construction/ — The ConTech Crew is a construction news podcast dedicated to keeping you up to date with all the latest in construction technology.  Give us a follow so you never miss an episode!