BE A BUILDER PROGRAM K–12 TRADES EDUCATION

Closing the gap between the classroom and the jobsite.

A fully funded, 4-year after-school program connecting high school students to real skills, real mentors, and real careers in construction — at zero cost to schools or districts.

4-year

Structured pathway from grade 9 through 12

Cost to School Districts

6+ Trades

Introduced across the curriculum

WHAT A BUILDER IS

Not a career fair. Not a field trip. A pathway.

Be a Builder transforms standard school spaces into active Builder Clubs — environments where students engage with real trade concepts, real tools, and real industry expectations from their freshman year forward.

The program is a progressive, skills-based curriculum that builds year over year, turning early curiosity into measurable competency. Students don't just learn about trades — they do the work, earn credentials, and graduate with a contractor relationship already in place.

The construction and skilled trades industries across the Carolinas face a structural failure at both ends of the pipeline. On the education side, students graduate without hands-on skills. On the industry side, contractors lack the capacity to develop young workers. Be a Builder is built to close that gap — from both directions at once.

"The industry doesn't just need more workers — it needs workers who arrive with real skills, a real understanding of what the job demands, and the professional habits to stay and grow. That only happens when education and industry are built into the same pipeline from the beginning."

— Joshua Doty, Director, TradeUp Carolinas

The 4-year student pathway

From discovery to career.

Each year builds on the last — earning students access to funded summer construction camps, paid jobsite internships, and direct career placement at graduation.

YEAR 1 - GRADE 9

Trade Discovery

Students enter the trades for the first time — not through a lecture, but through hands-on engagement with real tools, real materials, and real industry standards across three foundational disciplines.

Carpentry fundamentals
Electrical fundamentals
Masonry fundamentals

★ Qualifies for funded Summer Construction Camp

YEAR 2 - GRADE 10

Trade Immersion

Students move beyond introductory exposure into deeper, more demanding trade work — while beginning to see the full landscape of where a construction career can take them.

Advanced carpentry
Plumbing fundamentals
Mechanical / HVAC

★ Qualifies for Advanced Summer Construction Camp

YEAR 3 - GRADE 11

Real Work. Real Stakes.

Year 3 replaces multi-unit projects with a single sustained capstone that runs the full school year. Students design the build, create a budget, pursue funding, and execute construction. The finished product is a permanent structure delivered to a real recipient.

Multi-trade capstone build
Budget & project management
NCCER module certifications

★ Eligible for paid summer internship with contractor partners

YEAR 4 - GRADE 12

Built to Be Hired.

Year 4 students enter their final year with a trade chosen, a contractor relationship established, and a clear target ahead. Independent project work, industry credentialing, and a direct pathway to employment at graduation.

Chosen trade — Apprenticeship Level

Industry credentials

Direct Employment Placement

★ Contractor committed to hire at graduation or 18th birthday

Looking ahead: a 6-year pathway beginning in 7th grade

The current 4-year high school program is the foundation. Over the next three years, Be a Builder expands into middle school — reaching students in 7th grade, before career decisions are made. Students who enter in 7th grade could complete the majority of their apprenticeship hours before ever formally entering a registered program.

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