When 18-year-old Nick Searcy arrived on the site of his new construction job two months ago, there was nothing there. On Wednesday, Searcy stood proudly in front of a home he'd built with several other local teens.
The recent Bryan High School graduate now has certification from the National Center for Construction Education and Research and is eligible to get a job building homes. The program he just completed is a partnership of the Brazos Valley Council of Governments, Workforce Solutions Brazos Valley, the city of Bryan, Blinn College and the Bryan school district.
"I had gone to take some classes at Blinn, and somebody told me about [the program]," Searcy said. "We started with a pile of lumber and had to build it up. ... It was hard work, and it was hot."
Participants in the program include current students, high school graduates and those who have received equivalency diplomas, said Tom Wilkinson, executive director of the Brazos Valley Council of Governments. Although the group started with 12, it ended with just six, he said.
"Several have gotten job offers along the way," Wilkinson said.
Those who saw it through to completion showed off their handiwork Wednesday, displaying a 1,300-square-foot, three-bedroom structure that will be moved next week to Reed Street in Bryan. Potential buyers can apply for down-payment assistance to purchase the home through Bryan's community development program, Wilkinson said.
The city waived sewer and water tap fees, and First National and First Victoria banks provided loans to buy materials -- funds that will be repaid when the house is sold. Wells Fargo Bank offered a $5,000 grant for the youth project.
The students who worked on the house spent two weeks in a classroom before they started swinging hammers. Because they are not licensed plumbers or electricians, some of the finishing touches will be completed by subcontractors once the structure is moved, Wilkinson said. The youths are paid $7.15 per hour through the U.S. Department of Labor's Workforce Solutions job-training program.
John Levens, a career and technology teacher at Bryan High, helped supervise the project with Nathan McCann, an automotive and technology teacher.
"I think, number one, it teaches them skills and how to use different tools in the building trade," Levens said. "It teaches them how to work together and build a house."
McCann said he was proud of the group.
"The kids have done great," he said. "They've worked just as fast as a professional crew, if not faster. That's why the builders are hiring them out from us."
Searcy said Wednesday that he enjoyed the program but hadn't decided whether to pursue a career as a builder.
"Next, I'm going to go to college," he said. "It's too hot out here."
• April Avison's e-mail address is april.avison@theeagle.com.
RSS
Mobile
Daily Emails
Twitter
Facebook
