As the first line of the Masonry Industry Training Association's Mission Statement conveys, the primary goal for its members is to teach people about the positive qualities of a career in the masonry industry. The type of people that the association is focusing on includes high school and college students, cadets at boy's ranches and inmates in prisons.

Along with the manual labor employment positions of brick/block laying and hod carrying, there are many other positions available including; architecture, engineering, estimating, manufacturing, sales and project management. This creates a huge range of people that could benefit from any type of career in the masonry industry.

Several of the high schools that are affiliated with MITA have a high population of "at risk" students. Most of these students are struggling with the idea of graduating high school, let alone laying out a road map for their future careers. MITA is providing options for those students to help motivate them to stay in school to get their high school diploma, and then start a career in the masonry industry.

By having masonry classes at prisons, the inmates are learning the benefits of having a rewarding career when they are released in lieu of returning to a life of crime that they may have previously lived. Helping reform these individuals not only provides a positive road for them to travel, but it helps the industry in providing more willing and able employees.

The classes at these high schools and prisons teach the students about basic plan reading, mixing mortar, laying brick/block/stone and tool maintenance. It is a great starting point so the individual will be able to decide if they want to pursue a career in the masonry field. From that point, they can continue their education through an apprenticeship program or receive on-the-job training through the masonry contractor relationships that they make during the class.

Since MITA started, there have been several "success stories" of new careers in the masonry industry. A fourth generation mason who won the MITA sponsored "Skills Challenge" in 2001 completed his apprenticeship training in 2002 and has been working for a MITA contractor ever since. A former inmate, enrolled in the masonry class at Chuckawalla State Prison contacted MITA after his release and was immediately hired by a contractor in his area. He continued his education on various jobsites and is now the proud owner and operator of a successful concrete pumping business.

Along with the masonry classes, MITA has been involved with several high school career days, by setting up a display booth with pictures of local masonry construction projects and providing information such as wage rates and employment availability statistics. Several on campus demonstrations have been held where brick, block and stone are used to build things like benches, planter boxes, lunch court checker boards and drinking fountains. Students are encouraged to actually lay the brick and block helping with the construction during these demonstrations.

The majority of the material, equipment and supplies that are used in the classes and during the demonstrations are donated by associate members. When the brick and block manufacturers, building material/tool retailers, scaffolding sales companies and insurance companies realize that they are helping young people become productive members of society, they are always willing to contribute to the cause.

In addition to helping young people find a positive future and enlarging the pool from which to draw employees, another benefit of belonging to MITA is the business relationships that contractors form by working together. Regardless of size, location, union/open shop status or specialty, all masonry contractors could teach, or learn from another business in the industry. Any time information is exchanged and ideas are discussed, the whole industry benefits.

This brings us to the last item of MITA's Mission Statement - promoting membership. From the small residential contractor who works out of his garage to the large multi-million dollar corporation. From Southern California to Northern California. From union shops to open shops. From diamond blade suppliers to masonry contractors who specialize in school construction. By having a large group of members, we get a broader range of information and ideas.

Basically said, MITA is a diverse group of masonry contractors and associates working together to improve their industry. This will, in turn, improve their individual businesses.