Southwestern Michigan College is offering the builders’ pre-license course beginning March 12. The class will be held in the Jan and A.C. Kairis Building, Room 523 on the Dowagiac campus. Cost of the four-week course is $750 and includes a CD and textbook.

The course is required by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) for anyone seeking a state Residential Builders and Maintenance and Alteration Contractor license. The course is designed for those who have skills in the construction trades but are not licensed by the state.

SMC is a LARA-approved pre-licensure education site. Students who complete the pre-licensure training will be eligible to take the state exam.

The pre-license class meets Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays through April 14 with no class on April 7. Weekday classes meet in the evening with Saturday classes meeting during the day. Students will receive a certificate of completion after successfully finishing the courses.

The four-credit-hour course covers: business management, estimating and job costing; design and building science; contracts, liabilities and risk management; marketing and sales; project management and scheduling; Michigan Residential Building Code; construction safety standards (MIOSHA); and energy efficient green building practices.

In addition to the pre-licensure course, SMC offers an associate in Construction Trades Green Technology as well as a Construction Trades certificate for people who have no knowledge of the building trades industry. The certificate prepares students in construction practices and meets the national standards defined by the state Residential Builder and Maintenance and Alteration Contractor license, as well as local apprenticeship programs.

For more information about the pre-license course, tuition and fees, or to complete an SMC application, contact Susan Wandel, coordinator of Continuing Education, at (800) 456-8675 ext. 1283 or swandel@swmich.edu.