Apartment Association Announces Launch of Nebraska Maintenance Academy

The Apartment Association of Nebraska (AAN; www.aaneb.org) announced the launch of the Nebraska Maintenance Academy (NMA). The first session of this ground-breaking program is scheduled to launch on February 4 at the Omaha AAN Development Center, located at 4862 S. 96th St. Additional academy start dates include June 3 and October 7. NMA’s goal is to train 45 people per year at no cost to the student, and then to immediately place those now trained individuals into careers.

Students of Nebraska Maintenance Academy will spend three months in training, including classes and apprenticeship. Students must be able to pass a criminal background screening, a drug screening, and have access to a vehicle to use for work. Once accepted, students will attend class from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, with a half hour for lunch for two months. The day is designed to model a typical working experience in the industry.

Each student will be placed in a one-month apprenticeship at an AAN-member apartment community with the goal of providing a real world work and training experience in the rental housing industry with a goal of full-time job placement. At the end of the year period, each student will earn the ANSI accredited CAMT certification (recognized in the multi-family industry at both the local and national level).

“We are excited to be able to provide a proven training program that will be part of the solution to the problem and we want to get students out into the workforce quickly.” Said Gretchen Arroyo, Education Coordinator for AAN and NMA. “This program has been successfully implemented in the state of Maryland for the last three years through the Maryland Multi-Housing Association’s Service Training Academy (MMHASTA), and proven to positively impact both the students and the properties in which they were placed. It will be great to do the same thing here in Nebraska and have a positive impact.”

The Apartment Association of Nebraska is an affiliate of the National Apartment Association and was founded in 2002. For more information on The Nebraska Maintenance Academy, visit www.aaneb.org or call the AAN office at (402) 333-5331.