ConstructReach, a construction industry workforce development company, kicks off its 4-city “I Built This” tour at the Target located at 8900 S. Sepulveda Blvd in Los Angeles, California on April 14 and 15, 2020.
High school students aged 16-18 years from neighboring school districts will gather to learn about the construction industry and participate in elements of the store’s remodel. A photographer will be on hand to capture the students at work. Images of participants that represent the makeup of the surrounding community will be featured on the sales floor as tangible examples of success with the proud statement, “I built this!”.
This is the first of a 4-city tour which will engage communities, students, teachers, and construction leaders in the following cities throughout 2020:
Los Angeles, California           April 14 and 15, 2020
Denver, Colorado                   April/May
St. Louis, Missouri                  July
Miami, Florida                         September
“ConstructReach exists to increase the visibility of the construction industry by educating
students about career opportunities, connecting general contractors to interns and innovative internship curriculum, and creating content, experiences, and a ConstructReach social network to expose diverse populations to construction careers,” said Paul Robinson, Founder and CEO of Construct Reach.
“Fifty-three percent of skilled trade workers are over 46 and will be retiring. Plus, only 9.1% of construction workers are women, only 5.8% are African American, and only 1.9% are Asian. ‘I Built This’ introduces diverse students to construction opportunities to work towards changing those statistics.”
By uniting general contractors, educators, brands, and students in a variety of meaningful ways to educate various stakeholders about the opportunities within construction, students, brands, and construction leaders gain unparalleled insights.
“The construction industry is in crisis right now. Thousands and thousands of good paying office and in-the-field jobs remain unfilled,” said Mike Arasin, ConstructReach Advisory Council Member, ConstructReach client, and CEO of Fulcrum Construction, a nationwide retail commercial construction company. “Every day the crisis gets worse as the industry loses more of its workforce to retirement. The needs are critical and talented individuals, especially those from minority groups and women are in very high demand. ConstructReach is an industry-changing initiative focused on uniting all industry stakeholders for true change.”
Students from the surrounding districts participate and Paul Robinson, Founder and CEO of ConstructReach, will provide an overview of the industry and discuss career opportunities. The general contractors involved in the Target remodels/builds will provide hands-on activities, a site tour, and the opportunity to contribute to the building by assisting with fixtures, flooring, painting, and wall framing.
The “I Built This” Campaign kicks off this unparalleled initiative fusing corporations, industry, and students. A workforce development initiative aimed at meeting the needs of all stakeholders, ConstructReach plans to transform the construction industry within the next decade. For more information or to interview Paul Robinson, please contact Allex Jesper at ajesper@arcoandassociates.com.
About ConstructReach
Founded in May 2018, ConstructReach is a construction industry workforce development initiative that seeks to increase the visibility of the construction industry by educating students about career opportunities within construction, connecting general contractors to interns, employees, and internship curriculum, and creating content, experiences, and a social network to expose a diverse population to sustainable construction careers. Over half of the skilled construction labor force is nearing retirement age and fewer students, especially from diverse backgrounds, are pursuing a construction career. ConstructReach works with students, educators, high school counselors, large brands, and general contractors throughout the country to ensure they have the information and connections they need to facilitate the long-term longevity of a new, more diverse construction industry. ConstructReach started efforts with more than 100 general contractors throughout the United States, but is currently adding additional general contractors, and expanding brands to its network. For more, please visit constructreach.com.