Grade 10 students in Airdrie learn the trades through Building Futures program

Some Grade 10 students in Airdrie have a unique opportunity to spend their school year learning from expert tradespeople.

A program offered through Rocky View Schools (RVS) gives Grade 10 students from Airdrie, Chestermere and Cochrane a unique learning experience.

The program, called Building Futures, is offered by the RVS Community Learning Centre.

It sees participants spend their entire school year on a job site with Airdrie home-builder McKee Homes, working side-by-side with trades people while also learning their Grade 10 curriculum in a garage-turned classroom.

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“There’s lots of kids who come in who’ve never held a tape measure,” said Sheri McAllister, McKee Homes project manager and construction superintendent.

“They start at ground zero, so are they going to leave being a professional framer or plumber? No, but the seed is planted and if they find an interest or a joy in it, then they know what to pursue.”

McAllister says the partnership began in 2013, and has spread throughout Alberta, benefitting hundreds of young students.

“We were the first builder in Alberta to take it on,” she said. “Since then, it’s expanded to Cochrane, to Edmonton, there’s multiple programs that are taking roots in the province, and we’re really excited about that.”

McAllister says the program helps youth discover construction, interior design, drafting, business skills and community leadership.

They also learn about credit, mortgages and lending.

“We have mortgage brokers to come in and talk to kids about ‘How do you run your finances? “What are your goals? Here are the steps,’ and those are all really important things.”

Karsyn Brown, 15, says he’s always worked with his hands building things, so he’s excited to be part of the Building Futures program.

“Every other school year, all my grades were failing – I didn’t want to show up to school. I had zero interest,” he said. “But this school year, it’s hands on, you get to build a house, and you can gain more credits through this program to graduate.”

Brown says he’s interested in furthering his education to work in the trades.

“I want to get into programs where I can do more construction work and continue on that path,” he said. “I love framing, which we’re able to do here, and it was a very enjoyable trade, so that’s what I want to be able to do later on as well.”

Ryan Koyzan, a math and science teacher, is with the students every step of the way.

“We do all their math, science, English, social studies, as well as like a whole plethora of CTS credits and their gym, their CALM and everything,” he said. “So the building of the house is a big part of their CTS as opposed to options at a high school you would have this instead.”

Koyzan says the framing contractor teaching the students this year was a participant in the program five years ago.

“You also get a number of kids that go into engineering and architecture and sales and interior design,” he said.

“There’s so much in the residential home-building industry that is a Grade 10 program, it just shows the kids what’s possible, what’s out there and what are the opportunities.”