As an interior designer, I fully believe that everyone deserves a beautiful space to live in that was brought to life with wellness in mind. However, I couldn’t do what I do without the amazing people in the construction workforce that bring beautiful homes to life and allow me to do what I do best.
Build My Future, OKC is one of my top faves in terms of events to help encourage the youth in our community to pursue certified and non-certified trades and skill sets within various categories of the home building and construction industry. Both industries are showing tons of room for growth and are gaining HUGE traction and interest right now, even with the costs of supplies fluctuating day to day. The demand for homes only continues to increase and the industry craves quality skilled labor.
Skilled Labor Dodges the Extreme Expense of Student Loans
While there is nothing wrong with attending a 4-year university for a specific career, there is a common misconception that college is the only option for high school graduates. Somewhere along the line, the notion that a college degree was the only pathway to success was engrained in us and became the expectation of students coming out of high school who may not know exactly what they want to do for a living. Trust me on this one, I have been on both sides of this fence. The expectations of society were clear and I felt the pressure to attend college after high school as opposed to exploring the option of technical school.
Luckily, that is just not the case anymore! The Construction Workforce has always been enveloped with skilled labor! Many of the mentors currently leaving the workforce gained their knowledge almost 50+ years ago! Certified trades and various non-certified skilled labor are and always have been extremely valuable and are now gaining the recognition as a solid career that they deserve. With so many college graduates drowning in debt, Build My Future, OKC is an amazing event to showcase the lifestyle of the construction industry and the profitability it can gain without putting yourself tens of thousands of dollars in debt.
Many skilled labor options can be achieved with small investments in certification programs or trade schools. Certification programs or trade school enrollment can typically cost between $3,000 and $10,000 - which is a significant improvement from the cost of a 4-year degree. But wait, it gets even better! Did you know that some certifications will be paid for if training is completed while in high-school? Our youth can now walk out of high school with a paid certification in a skilled trade and start a career debt free! That is absolutely AMAZING!!!
Build My Future, OKC offers a hands-on experience for our youth to show them what a day in the life of a construction trade is like. Offering these options to show these kids what it would be like to pursue a career in skilled labor makes all the difference in our youth changing how they view success in their careers.
What Types of Trades are there?
Educating the young people in our community on the different types of trades that are available to them is one of the highlights of events such as these. We love this aspect of this event and we feel that it is such an amazing opportunity that allows the promotion of these careers.
Construction trades extend far beyond home building and have available opportunities in commercial projects as well. Careers that will be showcased at Build My Future, OKC are Carpentry, Electrical, HVAC, Masonry, Painting, Plumbing, and more!
Carpentry: with a $45,000 national average salary, carpentry is one of the key components of construction projects. Nail by nail and board by board, they typically see the project through from beginning to end which adds an extra layer of job security to this career choice.
Electrical: with a $54,000 national average salary, electricians are one of the highest-paid skilled trades on the construction site. Their services are always in demand as electricity is all around us and used every day in our lives.
HVAC: with an average salary of $47,000, HVAC technicians are constantly in demand, especially with the fluctuating extremes of hot and cold weather that we experience every day in Oklahoma.
Masonry: with an average salary of nearly $43,000, Mason workers are responsible for much more than just bricks. They bring us some of the most aesthetic pieces in our homes that are made of rock, stone, marble, and granite.
Painting: with an average salary of nearly $38,000, painters are always in demand for new construction, but are often on the scene of remodels or redesign projects. Painting is a key step in protecting surfaces from damage by water or mold. Painters also have the added bonus of doubling as Wallpaper contractors, which carries more weight than it may seem.
Plumbing: earning an average salary of $52,000, plumbers are very important in setting up the distribution of potable water throughout a new build as well as ensuring the removal of water waste. The stereotype behind any trades is a thing of the past, We need to see & respect these trades, as many of us, would prefer to not do the work they do, therefore, we should find value in tasks that help our lifestyles & ensure confidence when working on servicing issues or normal maintenance concerns.
Other Certifications or Skilled trades without Certifications: Along with the others mentioned above, Smart Home Technologies and Solar Installation are other trades that have a certification process. However, while there are many trades that require specific schooling or certifications, there are plenty that only require training and skills along with some on-the-job experience. Some of these options are trades like wallpaper and audio and video setup and installations.
How Can You Contribute?
We love this event at CRH Design + Build and we hope to inspire and kindly encourage other businesses and individuals to advocate for it as well. No matter your connection to the community or the construction industry, there are ways that you can help encourage our youth to consider a certified or non-certified skilled trade as a career option.
Schools and Students
Schools and teachers are encouraged to register online at the Build My Future, OKC website. While registration is closed for the 2022 event, it’s never too early to consider 2023 as the year you take your students for a hands-on day of skilled labor insight. Contact BuildMyFutureOKC@cohba.org to see how your students can participate in the event in 2023.
Sponsors
Events like these always need solid sponsors to keep the lights on and the wheels turning. If you’re ready to get the name of your construction or contract business out there while doing some kickass work for the community, check out some sponsorship opportunities here.
Exhibitors
Do you have a skill set in construction labor and a knack for teaching? Exhibitors are a valuable piece to the Build My Future, OKC event and there are several opportunities available. If you want to flex your skills while teaching the up-and-coming youth what skilled labor is all about, check it out here!
Volunteers
And, if you’re over there thinking that you don’t know the first thing about skilled labor or construction so there’s no way you can contribute to this event, you’re dead wrong! Events like these take a village and there are tons of opportunities for volunteers. If you’re passionate about opening doors for the youth in our community, I implore you to seek volunteer options for this event by visiting the Build My Future, OKC website.
We hope to see you there one of these years to help us promote the careers of the most valuable trades in construction and home building! Until then, stay well my friends.
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