Job Site Visit Inspires Students in the Golden State

The home building community in the Golden State has planned and executed numerous programs throughout the year to inspire the next generation of skilled tradespeople. Recently, the BIA of the Bay Area (Concord, Calif.) and the Professional Women in Building (PWB) of the Bay Area teamed up with their local Boys and Girls Club to offer an enriching job site visit.

Earlier this summer, more than a dozen 10- to 15-year-olds from the Boys and Girls Club of Martinez visited the Denova Homes job site as part of their summer series. The students started their fun-filled educational day with a basic introduction to the site and how to stay safe during the visit. All the students wore hard hats.

The students had the opportunity to tour a model home and meet the professionals who contributed to the construction. They met with an architect and learned about civil engineering. In addition, they received a lesson on how to landscape a model home and what it takes to have an HVAC in a home. The students were able to preserve a memory of the trip by receiving swag bags and taking a group photo after of the tour.

Before the students visited the construction site, many had a baseline understanding of building a home. Every Wednesday, students participated in construction-related after-school activities during the spring. Initial activities included making structures with snacks and crafts. As the students became familiar with basic construction, the BIA shifted to an advanced curriculum, such as how much it costs to build a home and energy usage in a home. BIA volunteers generously donated their time to provide instruction and oversight during each after-school activity.

Overall, the Boys and Girls Club’s spring and summer programs were successful, and the BIA looks forward to providing more enriching programs

Are you interested in partnering with your local boys and girls club? Contact NAHB’s workforce development team.