Building the Plainfield Construction Workforce Development Institute

At the corner of Prescott Place and South Second Street, the former SSYC property is becoming something Plainfield has needed for a long time: a place to train the people who build the city.

According to the City of Plainfield, two minority general contractors have been renovating the property since May 2025 for the Plainfield Construction Workforce Development Institute. Sankofa Construction is one of them.

Twenty-four or more Plainfield residents have been employed on the project — a point worth sitting with. This is a workforce development building being built by the local workforce.

What comes next

• A temporary certificate of occupancy is expected at the end of October

• A ribbon cutting is planned for November

• Two workforce schools are set to launch in early 2027

Why it matters to us

Sankofa Builders Inc. was founded on the belief that minority tradesmen should not have to leave their own neighborhoods to find a career. Our USDOL-Registered Apprenticeship Program and Heavy Equipment Training Program exist to move people from a first day on a jobsite to a nationally recognized credential. A dedicated institute in Plainfield makes that pathway shorter and clearer for everyone who walks through the door.

If you want to be in the first cohort, applications for our apprenticeship and heavy equipment programs are open now. Fill out the form on our Apprenticeship page, or reach us at Sankofabuilders@sankofaconstruction.com or 732-309-3568.

Wisdom from the past to build our future.