Career Center Students Awarded Scholarships from Home Builders Association of Winston-Salem

By Staff
The Homebuilders Association of Winston-Salem was the first business partner of a secondary education program in the state of North Carolina. A partnership with the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools and Forsyth Technical Community College, the carpentry curriculum is designed to train students to construct residential structures using standard building materials and hand and power tools. Carpentry skills and a general knowledge of residential construction is taught to students at the Career Center, with more advanced classes offered at FTCC in the carpentry program.

As part of the carpentry curriculum and with funds provided by HBAWS, students are able to build a home each year for Habitat Forsyth. HBAWS has partnered financially with Habitat for Humanity for 27 years providing funds to allow students in both the WSFCS Career Center and Forsyth Technical Community College to participate in Habitat builds. These educational programs offer distinct opportunities in our community for students to receive education and experience, preparing them for careers in the home-building industry.

Recently, HBAWS’s Professional Women in Building Council awarded two deserving WSFCS Career Center Students $500 scholarships for continuing their education in the home building industry at Forsyth Technical Community College. Both students, Josh Pollard and Aric Clinkscales, received the Lewis and Wanda Wilson Merit Scholarships for overall excellence in their carpentry classes at the Career Center. Karen Holcomb, Designing Kitchens and Baths and HBA’s President of Professional Women’s Council, presented the awards to the students at an event in june.

As many professionals in the home building industry edge closer to retirement age, there is a great need for young people to train and choose careers in the construction trades. Home Builders Association of Winston-Salem is currently working on a program designed to attract students into construction career trades. The website, when completed, will link eighth grade students to information about classes available at the WSFCS Career Center, and it will link high school students to programs at FTCC. The site will also provide links to national programs and videos of students sharing about education and careers in the home building industry.