Nov. 13, 2020 — Falls Church, VA — The Community Associations Institute (CAI) is proud to announce that the Institute's Rocky Mountain Chapter (CAI-RMC) received the 2020 Outstanding Corporate Partnership award from the Colorado Workforce Development Council during the virtual Colorado Apprenticeship Awards on Nov. 10.
CAI-RMC partnered with Arapahoe Community College, Arapahoe/Douglas Works!, and Skillful Colorado in August to launch the nation's first apprenticeship for the community association management profession. The two-year, paid apprenticeship is a cohort learning program, consisting of eight apprentices completing up to 40 hours per week of on-the-job training. Apprentices have the potential to earn a certificate in business administration and the opportunity to earn professional credentials and designations, all with minimal to no student loan debt.
Those who successfully complete the program will qualify to become a community association manager. A manager provides guidance and assistance to a community association's board of directors—deploying financial, administrative, and facilities management experience. Community associations, which include condominium communities, homeowners associations, and housing cooperatives, are home to nearly 74 million Americans and are the fastest-growing segment of residential home construction, according to the 2019—2020 U.S. National and State Statistical Review for Community Association Data conducted by the Foundation for Community Association Research.
“Now more than ever, it's critical that organizations invest in new opportunities to open doors for millions of Americans seeking education and employment," says Alicia Granados, CMCA, AMS, PCAM, president of CAI-RMC. “By believing in the power of partnership, we are breaking ground in the way we teach and prepare Colorado's workforce for the jobs of tomorrow. We're proud to create a place where the next generation of community association managers will learn and continue to lead with professionalism, integrity, and knowledge."
The Foundation's Statistical Review also shows that community association management has experienced tremendous growth since its beginning just over 40 years ago. Today, there are more than 55,000 community managers in the U.S. In addition, community association managers have remained largely protected from furloughs and layoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the more than 1,000 community association managers surveyed by CAI between April and July, around 91% said their level of employment had not been impacted.
“During the last year, while we've seen many sectors of our employment market face economic and financial uncertainty, we've watched as community association management continues to be a profession in high demand," says Thomas M. Skiba, CAE, CAI's chief executive officer. “We know that running a community association is like running a business, and the best way for homeowners to protect their investment is by hiring a qualified manager. This new apprenticeship is an example of CAI's chapter innovation with the goal to strengthen and broaden the community association management profession."
###
About Community Associations Institute
Since 1973, Community Associations Institute (CAI) has been the leading provider of resources and information for homeowners, volunteer board leaders, professional managers, and business professionals in the more than 350,000 homeowners associations, condominiums, and housing cooperatives in the United States and millions of communities worldwide. With more than 42,000 members, CAI works in partnership with 36 legislative action committees and 64 affiliated chapters within the U.S., Canada, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates as well as with housing leaders in several other countries, including Australia, Spain, and the United Kingdom. A global nonprofit 501(c)(6) organization, CAI is the foremost authority in community association management, governance, education, and advocacy. Our mission is to inspire professionalism, effective leadership, and responsible citizenship—ideals reflected in community associations that are preferred places to call home. Visit us at www.caionline.org and follow us on Twitter and Facebook @CAISocial.