The Punchlist

September/October 2009

Chartering Talent

AGC chapters support local charter schools that help students learn construction skills

By Debra Wood

Students at the Academy for Career Education build a house every year and sell it to raise funds for the school. (Photo Courtesy of Nevada AGC)

Students learn math and other academic subjects while they complete projects at OBC Academy. (Photo Courtesy of Oregon AGC)

Several AGC chapters have stepped forward to sup­port charter schools focused on preparing young people for design or construction careers.

“It’s a nontraditional approach to addressing workforce and diversity issues important to the industry,” says Len Toenjes, president of the Associated General Contractors of St. Louis. “If we change one life, that’s success, and we’ve changed hundreds of lives.”

AGC of St. Louis worked with local businesses, foundations and unions and accepted financial and other risks to open Construction Careers Center, a charter school and the country’s first publicly funded high school for construction. Charter schools receive public-school dollars and teach traditional courses such as math and science but are granted freedom to implement novel educational methods.

“We integrate construction into all of the academics, plus have a separate tract for construction,” says Terry Eivins, vice president of professional development for AGC of St. Louis. Students learn how to read a blueprint and estimate and schedule jobs.

AGC of St. Louis members donated time, money and equipment to renovate a building for the school. They have hired students, taught classes and served on the board of directors. Ninety-three percent of graduates have entered apprenticeship programs, joined the workforce or attended college.

“We’ve made a lot of difference with the 225 students who have graduated over the last four years, and that’s satisfying for AGC of St. Louis and the construction industry,” Eivins says. “It takes a lot of commitment from the chapter and the construction industry, but it pays big dividends.”

Seven years ago, Nevada Chapter AGC members, with industry lead­ers, built a school and launched the Academy for Career Education (ACE High School) in Sparks to meet a need to train more construction workers. Although the recession has slowed demand for new hires, the chapter remains committed to the concept.

“We need a flow of young, smart people coming into the industry to keep it going,” says Mike Cate, immediate past president of Nevada AGC.

Students receive hands-on training in plumbing, electrical, masonry and drafting. They build a house every year and take pride in that achievement. Approximately 40% of students enter trades, 30% enroll in college and 25% enter the military.

A student at the Construction Careers Center works on a jobsite. (Photo Courtesy of Construction Careers Center)

“It gives a different method for students to achieve their goals,” says Frank Lepori, president of Nevada AGC. “Once we start the fire in these students, the sky’s the limit. It’s a great benefit for the community.”

The Oregon Building Congress opened the OBC Academy for Architecture, Construction and Engineering in Portland last year, with support from the Oregon-Columbia Chapter of AGC, whose members volunteer and serve on the board.

“It’s a good attempt at collaboration,” says Dick O’Connor, executive director of OBC.

Rather than teaching specific courses, students work in teams to complete projects with English, math and technical aspects. They demonstrate proficiency in each area before receiving credit.

“Students begin to respect how important it is to carry your own weight in the project, or if you don’t, the project will fail,” O’Connor says. “They get some real-life lessons in a hurry.”