Nine complete WSB's civil engineering training class.

Byline: Brian Johnson

Golden Valley-based design and consulting firm WSB is celebrating the first graduating of a workforce training and development program designed to prepare participants for long-term careers in civil engineering.

The Opportunity+ program, launched in January, is a "free and fast-paced training course led by experts at WSB," the company said. Nine participants completed the first training class and received their certificates during a virtual ceremony this week, according to WSB.

WSB said it has hired two participants and has made offers to "several others." Program partners include the city of Minneapolis, CareerForce, Center for Economic Inclusion, EMERGE Community Development, Hennepin County and the city of St. Paul.

"The communities we live and work in are far more diverse than our industry," Bret Weiss, WSB's president and CEO, said in a statement. "Opportunity+ is just one of the ways we are working towards building a workforce that looks more like the communities we serve. I am so proud of our graduates and their ability to master the skills needed for a successful career in the AEC industry."

The program ran from January through April. A flexible schedule allowed...