Education Matters: First Design Build competition held for Construction Pathways students
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE) – The office of the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools held its first design-build competition for students enrolled in construction pathways.
The young construction workers had no time to waste.
The students enrolled in the construction pathway programs at their high schools had an assignment and only three days to complete it. They had to build a storage shed and the experience was designed as a real work day.
“They’re going to be following job hazard analysis, they’re going to be following a safety protocol. There are timelines they had to come up with bill material and budget,” said Anthony Ayerza, for the ROP for the Career Technical Education programs for the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools.
Fresno County CTE ROP, the Central California builders exchange and industry partners like Swinerton Construction put this event on.
“I love the enthusiasm, the excitement of the students, the kids entering a workforce a career that’s going to set them up down the road and for life,” said Erich Klemme for Swinerton Construction.
Students spent months planning and working on their design.
“We chose to build a ticket booth for our school just because that’s something that we have been lacking,” said Harrison Garewal, a student at Kerman High School.
There were seven teams and six were representing their high schools. There was one team made up of young ladies from different schools, and different programs.
“It was very nerve-wracking that we had very little time to work but it was very exciting being able to be a part of this team and amazing skills,” said Zienna Renfro, a student at CTEC High School.
All the teams had mentors from the industry and people supporting and encouraging them.
“We mentor, we support and we encourage our sisters to become leaders in the construction industry and that’s the same thing we are going to do with these young ladies,” said Susan Rodriguez of the NorCal Carpenters Union.
At the end of day three, each design was built into buildings and had its own unique style.
Clovis High School took the top prize. Some students even walked away with job offers, leaving them with a sense of pride.
“I want people to look at that and I don’t want them to say a high school kid built that. I want them to say, wow that was built by a high school student,” Ayerza said.
