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Recap: 2021 Marks a Year of Transition and Growth for the Construction Career Foundation

The year 2021 was marked by a number of achievements for the Construction Career Foundation. The organization hosted and supported many successful efforts to enhance state-wide awareness among youth and young adults about the quality careers available in the Minnesota union construction trades.

Founded in 2005, the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization continuously strives in its mission to increase the diversity of entrants to the construction trades and foster long-term construction careers.

The shared vision of the CCF leadership team, as well as the schools, educators, and business leaders who partner with the organization, is to “motivate underrepresented youth to graduate from high school, give them the chance to explore the various opportunities in the construction trades and facilitate their entrance into careers in their chosen trade.”

This is accomplished through outreach to Minnesota students and educators, educational programming for 5-12 youth, and the ConstructionCareers.org website as a holistic resource for youth seeking information about union construction apprenticeships and careers.

Increased and positive engagement and activity across social media, website, and mobile app platforms in 2021, is just one indicator of the nonprofit’s position as the leading educational resource for all Minnesota youth looking to learn more about a career in the union construction industry, whether the opportunities they seek are virtual or hands-on.

Key Accomplishments in 2021

Below are 10 key markers of the success of the Construction Career Foundation’s mission within the past year:

  • Building Up the Learn2Build Program: In 2021, 200 elementary and middle school students took part in the Learn2Build Program, which seeks to introduce youth to construction through fun and educational hands-on building projects. This year, in an effort to continue to inspire students throughout the pandemic, the program implemented at-home tool kits to send to students to help learn about tools and create fun projects related to different trades in construction.
  • Supplying Paid Internships to High School Students through the Minnesota Trades Academy Program: In 2021, more than 26 high school students experienced an insightful, hands-on, and paid summertime internship, acquiring construction skills through participation in the Minnesota Trades Academy. Haven’t heard of CCF’s programs before? Explore opportunities for students 5th -12th grade here.
  • Increased Population Served: Between July 1, 2020 – Sept. 30, 2021, a total of 47,299 students, educators and parents utilized the org website as a resource for construction apprenticeship information, a 23.7% increase from the previous year of reporting. 90.8% of these visitors were new to the site.
  • Sharing the Stories of Role Model Apprentices: In 2021, ten Minnesota construction apprentices were featured on the org website as examples for future generations of union construction professionals to learn from their experiences. More than 20 stories and posts of real high school and middle school students and their experiences with construction through the Minnesota Trades Academy and the Learn2Build programs were added to the ConstructionCareers.org website. View them here.
  • Addressing Key Issues via YouTube Videos: The CCF YouTube channel now has more than 64 videos of Minnesota construction workers promoting the trades and sharing their stories about why they chose construction as a career. The videos address key issues, such as the cost of paying for a four-year college degree, advice in transitioning from active-duty military service to a career in construction, and the potential for women to find a place in the building trades.
  • Social Media Outreach: More than 15,000 individuals were served through social media outreach in 2021. At least 3,000 Minnesota middle and high school students were reached through social media efforts. Stay up to date with the latest construction apprenticeship information by visiting CCF’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube
  • Increased Resources for Educators: CCF’s Educator Newsletter allows educators monthly access to timely, accurate and inspirational information to help their students find their paths in a construction apprenticeship. In 2021, more than 4,000 educators received the monthly newsletter. The ambition of the newsletter is to provide educators with relevant and accessible resources and information regarding construction trades for their students.
  • Editorial Coverage: The Construction Career Foundation was featured in the Star Tribune, Mankato Free Press, Minnesota Women’s Press, Workday Minnesota, Construction Dive, and Teaching Today Minnesota in 2021, exposing parents and educators across Minnesota about the role of the Construction Career Foundation in connecting youth with careers in Minnesota’s construction industry.
  • Staff Transitions: To continue building momentum in reaching Minnesota’s young people and educators, the Construction Career Foundation added two new positions to the team: Sam Ebute as Trades Navigator, and Lindsay Tallman as Program Director. Read Ebute’s story, here, and Tallman’s story, here.
  • Increasing the Mobile App’s Capacity as a Resource: More than 75 interview opportunities for apprenticeships and construction jobs were shared with more than 300 young people via the Construction Career Foundation Mobile App in 2021. See what the app has to offer, here.

Construction Career Foundation is Connecting Students to Their Futures in 2022

With nearly 50,000 students and educators benefiting from CCF’s platforms and programs in 2021, the Construction Career Foundation will continue to increase its capacity as a resource, and connect even more students to quality career opportunities in the building trades in 2022.

Construction Careers Foundation is currently updating the visual appearance and functionality of the ConstructionCareers.org website as the leading source for information about registered union construction apprenticeships and construction careers for young people in Minnesota.

To explore the many programs and resources, and discover 30+ careers and apprenticeship opportunities in the trades, visit the Construction Career Foundation webpage, here.