Working together is the key to a successful construction company. Creating a job site setting has been key to our success of hands-on construction training. The Student Project House is the hub to our successful Construction Technology program. In 2001, we will have completed House #30.
College of the Redwoods purchases a land parcel, students then design and draft plans for the following years’ project house, and in August the job begins. Ground is broken, materials purchased, and by December the house is framed and the roofing is complete. This allows the house to dry out over winter recess until January when construction continues. Siding, exterior trim, drywall, paint, doors, cabinets, and all the final touches are put on the house by May each year, in time for the annual open house and placing the house on the open Real Estate Market for fair market value. The revenues pay for all construction costs and allow us to purchase another lot for the subsequent year. Students provide their own basic tool set, while the college provides the power tools and materials necessary to complete the job.
For many years, students built homes on a temporary foundation located on campus. Once the house was completed, students would go to the owners’ lot and prepare the foundation. Then they would move the house to the lot in sections. You can only imagine the difficulties of building the house on a temporary foundation, unbolting the double ridge beam, then transporting the house to a permanent foundation and fastening the halves back together. Eighteen houses were constructed on the campus before they started building on site in 1990.
The Job site allows men /women of all ages, to come together and build a future career. Students are broken into crews, which encourages them to share thoughts, ideas and skills. Second year students are given the opportunity to learn basic supervisory skills by working as “Crew Leaders”, and help to organize the newer students and manage the job site.
Theory classes provide the technical information needed while the job site provides hands-on training. As the house is being constructed, students are busy in the woodshop building the cabinets per plans, in anticipation for April and the installation and finishing process. Meanwhile, students can take residential wiring classes to learn the trade and receive hands-on experience by wiring the new student project house each year. Historic Preservation and Restoration hands-on training is also available for those who want to expand on their construction knowledge and prepare for another fast growing job market.
The greatest thrill to all is in May when the breakers are thrown, the lights are on, and we celebrate as “Another Home Built With Class” is sent off to give home to new owners. Students are usually amazed with the progress they’ve achieved in the 32 weeks of construction. Many come with little expertise, some come with more. The common thread is that students leave with sense of pride and self-confidence; taking knowledge that will carry them into the construction world to earn a sound living, build their own home, remodel others, build cabinets, go on to four-year education as construction managers, building inspectors, contractors and in general, pursue greater goals because of their commitment to succeed in a job well done.