Local builders want to help school district in Clark County train the future generations of skills workers through Career Education Training

Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com

Building a path for a better future.

Building a plan together.

Building relationships.

The Building Futures Foundation, a nonprofit foundation associated with the Building Industry Association of Clark County, is looking to build the workforce by cementing relationships with area school districts.

Thursday night, leaders of the BFF and BIA welcomed superintendents, principals, teachers, students, and former students, along with pillars of the local building industry to discuss what is going on nowadays in our local schools as well as an ambitious plan for the future.

The message was clear: Career Technical Education is a viable pathway for so many young people in Clark County. The skills learned now will pay off for them in the future, and communities will benefit from that workforce as well.

Jon Girod of Quail Homes and the chair of the Building Futures Foundation noted that skilled trade positions are expected to grow up to 17 percent in the region in the coming years. He also noted that many of today’s skilled laborers are closing in on retirement. This is a call to action that there are high-paying, emotionally satisfying jobs out there. Those who work in the industry are proud of the products they build and see every day.

Thursday’s event at the Heathman Lodge also highlighted a student. Celia Langarica is a junior at Evergreen High School and attends Cascadia Tech for its construction education. Langarica was just named the state champion for SkillsUSA for her presentation of that organization’s creed. She also recited the creed to those in attendance Thursday, in English and in Spanish.

“I believe in the dignity of work,” was the start of that creed.

When she finished, she got a standing ovation.

After the event, she told Clark County Today that she expects to be part of the skills trade for the rest of her life.

“I ask myself every day, ‘What is my future? What do I want to do? Who do I want to be?’ I just want to make an impact,” Langarica said. “I know women before me created this path for me so that I could do this. I want to do that for the younger girls. ‘You’re a woman. Yes we can. We can, too.’”

Langarica said her favorite thing in construction is framing.

“You take some lumber, and you create this wonderful piece of art,” she said. “We frame the houses. The families create the home. We create the houses, so they can create memories.”

Her presentation brought Nate Bond to tears. Bond owns Pacific Crest Building Supply in Ridgefield.

“I could hire them all today,” he said of skilled labor coming out of high school 

He also would love it if all parents, all students were told of the opportunities. Yes, college is important to some, but to many, it is not the best option. 

He noted there were a number of successful people in the room Thursday that found their own paths.

“I wish we could have had a show of hands who are making more than doctors who have 15 minutes or less of college,” Bond said. “I’m one of them.”

In fact, he was a musician but could not find enough work to pay the bills. He started driving a truck for a lumber company, then worked his way up to VP of that company. Later, he started running Pacific Crest—- and now owns it.

The banquet room, he said, is full of stories like his.

Girod went around the room to talk to leaders from several school districts. 

Evergreen Public Schools is set to open a new skilled trade center in May. Vancouver Public Schools is hoping to have one built at Hudson’s Bay High School and is starting to raise funds for the project. 

Hockinson. La Center. Woodland. Ridgefield. Camas. Battle Ground. Kalama. Washougal. They all have some real-life teaching and building opportunities on campus. All of those schools had representatives at the event.

The Building Futures Foundation wants to expand those programs, with the help of local business owners.

Many of the districts have their students building tiny homes. With the help of the Vancouver Housing Authority, those homes are being purchased and used in the community.

“I’m in the kid business,” said John Boyd, superintendent of Evergreen Public Schools. “So many great aspects. We are able to partner with industry to provide housing for families and support students on a pathway to a career. There’s nothing better than that.”

Jeff Snell, superintendent of Vancouver Public Schools, appreciated everything about Thursday’s presentation.

“I think it’s important to our community. Our kids really deserve a community effort, trying to lay the foundation for them to be successful in whatever pathway that they want to go,” Snell said. “As we heard, the need for skilled trade is great. We have a lot of amazing kids who would really benefit from these opportunities.”

Prior to the presentations from Girod and others, building leaders and educators had a social hour to discuss those opportunities.

“People from the business side learned about some of the education stuff, and we’re learning about some of the business stuff,” Snell said. “Usually those conversations turn into great outcomes for kids.”

Bart Hansen, the executive director of the BIA, said relationships like these will help with a couple of missions: To get people into affordable homes in Clark County and to be able to offer jobs in Clark County.

“We’re also reaching out to that kid who doesn’t want to go to college,” Hansen said. “We recognize you. ‘There’s another path. Are you interested?’ Then giving them another opportunity.”