Summer Careers Academy

HBA: HBA of Durham, Orange & Chatham Counties

Category: Education

Location: Durham, N.C.

Size: Local Association: 601+ Members

Year: 2022

The Summer Careers Academy is an eight-week training program in the summer that connects local youth and young adults (ages 16-24) with new skills and paid work experiences in the skilled trades. Students who successfully complete the program earn high school credit and industry-recognized credentials as well as college prior learning credit and access to apprenticeships and college scholarships.

The Summer Careers Academy is a low-cost, high-performance, employer-led model based on the successful Catawba Valley Community College Construction Careers Academy and adapted for the Triangle region. The project allows students to “earn while they learn,” meaning they will receive complimentary in-classroom training while also enjoying paid work experience during the summer in a promising construction career pathway earning a competitive “Learning Wage” ($12/hour). The HBA received 40 applications and selected 15 students. Additionally, the HBA recruited eleven employers consisting of builders, HVAC, Commercial Contractors, and Governmental Organizations. The Summer Careers Academy had a 100% completion rate.