Industry Partners Invest in Common Cause

Bryce Gehlert is the building trades instructor at Belle High School in Belle, Missouri. He witnessed firsthand the excitement and motivation of his students sparked by an unexpected package.

“A few weeks after school started, a truck stopped in at our school and said they had a ‘toolbox’ for us. We had no idea what to expect,” said Gehlert. “Once the driver opened the door on the truck, my students were shocked!” Gehlert and the students could hardly believe it.

Belle High School was chosen in the spring of 2024 to participate in the High School Builder Program by the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER). As part of the program, Gehlert’s students received the NCCER Core Toolbox, enabling them to engage in hands-on learning and develop essential construction skills.

“We come from a small school with limited resources and the tools changed my students’ learning immediately,” exclaimed Gehlert.

Generous Program Support

The High School Builder Program, designed by NCCER, addresses the lack of resources in schools by providing training, curriculum and tools to help establish career and technical education (CTE) programs.

Melissa Perkins, NCCER’s Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships, discussed the non-profit’s philosophy, “We believe every high school should offer construction-related career and technical education, but not every school district has the funding available to make this possible,” said Perkins. “Thanks to the generosity of our donors, NCCER is able to support the implementation of programs to help change student’s lives through construction education.”

Belle High School’s new program was made possible by a donation from the Bechtel Group Foundation. The foundation promotes education and supports the United States construction industry by providing resources for the workforce to grow and succeed.

“We are deeply grateful to the Bechtel Group Foundation for their generosity and commitment to expanding construction education,” Perkins said. “Without their commitment, transformative stories like this wouldn’t be possible.”

Thanks to generous donations from companies like Bechtel, Belle High School is one of over 40 schools that received NCCER’s support in 2024 to launch the High School Builder Programs. Other organizations such as DEWALT, Carhartt, Construction Angels, Inc., and Procore have also stepped up to sponsor new CTE programs across the nation.

Boyd Worsham, President and CEO of NCCER, highlighted the effort, “This is a great program. We are coming together as an industry to support young people. Together we’re building programs that will help communities.”

The Toolbelt Generation

A growing number of students are now considering careers in the skilled trades. News outlets like Forbes and the Wall Street Journal have dubbed Gen Z the “toolbelt generation.” More students are showing an interest in hands-on work and looking for options to avoid student loan debt. This shift is fueling a renewed interest in the trades, and initiatives like NCCER’s High School Builder Program are perfectly positioned to meet this demand.

“These young people will earn industry-recognized credentials through NCCER and be the next generation of craft professionals and construction business leaders,” said Worsham.

A key element of the High School Builder Program is sustainability. Schools that participate are committed to ensuring the program continues long-term with the support of their district.

Perkins noted, “We are thrilled to help these programs get started but we know we have a lot more work to do. It’s encouraging to see a growing interest from Gen Z, and we want to support them.”

Endless Possibilities

In its first year, Belle High School enrolled 31 students in its construction education program.

Perkins emphasized the program’s growth potential, “What is starting as 31 students today will turn into 155 students in just five years. These programs are building the workforce of the future.”

NCCER’s goal is to establish more than 100 new CTE programs across the U.S. in 2025 and is seeking more community-minded partners hoping to make a difference. It’s estimated that 20 students per school will join the program initially, with numbers set to increase as the programs establish themselves. Starting 100 High School Builder Programs will add 10,000 students to the talent pipeline nationwide.

Gehlert reflected on the positive impact on his students, and expressed his appreciation, “What you guys are doing is an amazing thing for every student. I am honored you chose Belle High School and so are my students.” Gehlert adds, “My students now have a much easier way to learn with the NCCER platform and all the new tools.”