CTE Construction Trades Program Builds A Home

A new house in the neighborhood on Mechanic Street in Berrien Springs is almost ready to be put up for sale thanks to the work of Berrien Springs Public School students in the Career Technical Education (CTE) Construction Trades class taught by instructor Larry Jackson, and the assistance of local plumbing and electrical contractors.

The house has 1,150 square feet on the first floor, and features three bedrooms, two full baths, a kitchen, living room, first floor laundry room and wrap-around porch. The master bedroom has its own bathroom and walk-in closet. The house also has an unfinished basement with nine-foot ceilings that is being set up for two bedrooms and a bathroom downstairs.

CTE programs are available to students county-wide, and the house has been built by students from Berrien Springs, Eau Claire, Niles-Brandywine, St. Joseph, Bridgman, Buchanan, Lakeshore, and those who have been home-schooled, Jackson said.

"Over 100 students have worked on the house over the past couple of years, and they have built it from the ground up," said Jackson, who has had his own business, A-1 Walls and Ceiling Specialists, for more than 30 years.

"The experience of working in my own business gave me the confidence that I could work with these students and accomplish the goal of completing this house," Jackson said. "We should have the house done soon."

The home will be put up for sale by the school district upon its completion..

Jackson noted that work will continue over the summer by students who are not working full-time jobs and want to volunteer their time to help complete the house. Jackson has been working with two classes consisting of 20 students each in the morning and afternoon on the construction of the house during the school year for more than three years.

"Many of my students are working this summer with Pearson Construction, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and other construction companies," he noted, and he is proud that they have employment as a result of the training they received through this CTE program.

Jackson stated that all of his students completed Career Safe OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) 30 safety certification, which is recognized by all unions; all  of his students earned their Department of Labor Carpenters Pre-Apprenticeship Trades Certification, and all of his students received CPR and First Aid certification.

"I am ;proud of them and they are ready to go," Jackson said.

The construction of the house was also supported by local contractors including Gray Electric, the HVAC was done by Five Star Heating and Cooling, but everything else--the framing, drywell,  cabinets, siding, porch, and roofing was all done by the students

"I would like to thank Berrien Springs Public Schools and the Berrien Springs School Board, the Village of Berrien Springs, and our partnership with Andrews University for making this build possible and supporting this project," Jackson said. "This is the first house our CTE Construction Trades classes have built."

Once the house is completed, the district will decide if the students can build another house on an available lot in the village or township.

"The most rewarding part of this is that is gives our students the opportunity to have hands-on experiences in the construction industry," Jackson said. "The students are learning lifelong skills that they are proud of and seeing a vision from a couple of years ago come to life."

The most challenging part of constructing the house was making sure all the students were safe as they worked on it, Jackson said.

"I wanted to make sure they went home with all 10 fingers and toes," he said. "We did not want any accidents with power tools, or from working on roofs and scaffolding in the winter."

He is proud of their safety record and how his kids came together at the work site.

"It has been most enjoyable to  see the kids improve on their skill sets, develop a belief in themselves, and work as a team," Jackson emphasized.

"I have, over the last three years, had over 15 students enter multiple unions and trades organizations, such as the carpenters union,  the electrical union, become  heavy equipment operators or linemen, and work for highway construction companies through Kalin Construction and Reith-Riley Construction," Jackson said.

Jackson thanked all his CTE directors over the past several years including former CTE Directors Pete Anderson, Adam Carr, and the current director, Brian Terry, for believing in the program, the process and their projects, "and giving the students the opportunity to be successful in the trades."

CTE Director Brian Terry noted that the school district has invested approximately $200,000 in the project.

"The project gives the students the opportunity to dive in with industry members, giving them the chance to experience real world problems and forcing them to problem solve on the spot," he said.  "It also gives them an opportunity to step up amongst their peers to become leaders on the job site."

"The students have done a great job performing the tasks asked of them, and many of them have commented how proud they are in being a part of this project," he emphasized.

Their family members are also proud as they can drive by and see the house their children have had a part in building, he added.

The house will be put up for sale by the district upon its completion, with funds going back to the program for projects like this or something similar, he said.

"This will give students more opportunities to work with industry members creating more homes or structures that will serve the community," Terry said.

Each of the students completing the program this year, and in conjunction with building the house, did classroom work earning OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 Safety Training while also earning up to nine months of credit in a pre-apprenticeship agreement with the carpenters and millworks unions, Terry stated. "It makes our students more marketable."

He added that students have had to be turned away due to heavy interest in the program over the last few years. Terry is investigating ways to accommodate students' increased interest in the program.

Jackson noted that the students have taken pride in their work and will have this house on Mechanic Street to point out to family and friends as an example of their work.

"We are all are proud of this project, and know it will add to the tax base of the Village of Berrien Springs, bring a nice family to the village, and the students who worked on it will always have something to be proud of ...they can say `I built this house,'" Jackson said.

Jackson thanked the Berrien Springs community for supporting the project, and the school district and Communications Director Gail Fox for promoting the project through The Journal Era.

Story by Kathy Pullano, The Journal Era Editor.  The Journal Era is Berrien Springs local newspaper located at 101 West Ferry Street Berrien Springs, MI.