Building a career in the construction industry will be more attractive and available to more students than ever at Fond du Lac High School when the new Construction Career Academy opens its doors this fall. Dozens of local businesses, including County Materials Corporation are making the 6,000 sq. ft., $1.5 million facility a reality. County Materials will be donating 9,000 concrete masonry units for the academy’s construction.
With more than $450,000 of community donations in place, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Construction Career Academy took place on April 18th with an anticipated completion date in November of 2018. The school’s trades program has already grown from 44 students last year to 78 this year. With the new facility, the school’s goal is to attract 400 of their 2,200 students to the architecture, construction or engineering trades that will be offered.
The need for this program is possibly higher than ever with the manufacturing and construction industry facing an ever-widening skills gap that is causing a large labor shortage across the United States. According to SkillsUSA there are 600,000 skilled jobs, such as construction, manufacturing and technician positions, that are currently going unfilled. The same report found that 83% of companies are reporting a moderate to serious shortage of skilled workers. The Fond du Lac High School’s program will offer insight into all phases of construction including job shadowing and site visits. These opportunities will give students many of the experiences and skills needed for the fulfilling and well-paying jobs available in manufacturing and construction.
County Materials is dedicated to supporting local high schools, technical college trades courses, and other community organizations where the company has locations. The company is helping close the skills gap by teaching students about the many competitive wage and high demand careers available in the manufacturing and construction industry.
