Construction Connect UP Students Get Drafted Into Building Trades

Construction Connect UP wrapped up its pilot program with Draft Day on Friday, where students who successfully completed the program were “drafted” into building trades apprenticeships and construction-related careers.

Kaiden Brown of Escanaba High School will join IBEW Local 906. Tyler Smith and Parker LaFond, also of Escanaba, will join Carpenters Local 1510. Lexie Vross of Kingsford High School will work for Billerud as an E&I Tech for a five year commitment while earning her college degree, which will be funded by Billerud.

“The CCUP program is great. You get to work in the real world instead of working on a simulator at the ISD, and you get paid doing it,” Smith said. “It’s a great way to get out and learn a new career.”

The UPCC collaborated with its signatory contractors & UP building trades unions, UP Michigan Works, Delta-Schoolcraft ISD, Dickinson-Iron ISD and Marquette-Alger Regional Education Services Agency to develop a program that is skill-based, labor- and industry-approved and directly linked to real workplace situations. 

Students in the program spend half the day in school, and the other half working, learning – and earning $13 an hour – on job sites. 

About 65 people attended Draft Day, representing the building trades unions, signatory contractors, UP Michigan Works, and school districts. The event began with networking, followed by a program that featured Michigan Building Trades President Steve Claywell and Sean Egan, Deputy Director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. State Sen. Ed McBroom (R-Vulcan) and State Rep. Dave Prestin (R-Cedar River) were also present.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled with how everyone came together to make this program a success for the students,” said UPCC Executive Director Mike Smith. “They received an outstanding academic education while learning the skills to compete in the construction industry.”

 CCUP operated as a pilot program for the second semester of this school year. The full program will follow for the 2023-24 school year. 

Applicants for next year will receive resume writing and interview training in June from UP Michigan Works, and financial literacy training from Peninsula Federal Credit Union. Interviews will take place in July.

The application period has closed, but it could reopen again in July if all 12 places aren’t filled.  To qualify, students must be a high school senior at least 17 years of age; be enrolled in a certified CTE Program; live within a 15 minute drive of Marquette, Escanaba, Sault Ste. Marie, Houghton, or Iron Mountain; and have a driver’s license or in process and reliable transportation.