For Okanagan College carpentry student Brittany Couchman building a new home from the ground up has been 鈥渁n amazing experience.鈥�
She is one of 12 Carpenter Foundation program students taking part in this year鈥檚 Home for Learning project, which was recently unveiled to community members and media this week.
鈥淚鈥檝e learned so many skills, from reading a tape measure, to reading code and using hand tools, and lots of math,鈥� said Couchman, a Vernon campus student.
This year鈥檚 project marks Okanagan College鈥檚 60th Home for Learning, an initiative that involves carpentry students spending 14 weeks on a job site learning all aspects of modern construction.
鈥淥ur students have helped build daycares, condos, horse barns, sheds and beautiful homes such as this one on The Rise,鈥� said Teresa Kisilevich, Okanagan College Associate Dean of Trades. 鈥淭here is always a certain pride when you build something with your own hands. These students will always be able to look at this house and say 鈥業 helped build that.鈥欌��
Keith Construction is this year鈥檚 Home for Learning partner, mentoring students as they build a new duplex. Keith Construction owner Ken Dahlen says his company was pleased to get behind the project and help coach future trades students, which are in high demand.
鈥淥ur industry is struggling to find skilled workers, and forecasts say that 40,000 people will be retiring in our industry in the next 10 years,鈥� said Dahlen. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important for young people entering trades careers to understand the need for a post-secondary education. Homes today are highly engineered, and not as easy to build without understanding the building code.鈥�
In addition to being this year鈥檚 Home for Learning partner, Keith Construction was a major sponsor of Okanagan College鈥檚 new Trades Training Centre in Vernon. Dahlen said local facilities and programs are important for the community, providing an opportunity for young people to stay at home and get an education. Dahlen announced that Keith Construction and other trades are adding a special fundraiser to the Home for Learning project.
He also noted a number of trades are providing preferred pricing on their products and services. Once the home is completed and sold, Keith Construction will donate a portion of its proceeds to future trades training at the College.
鈥淐onstruction has been very good to our family, and I鈥檓 happy to support students,鈥� Dahlen said.
Michael Collins from Quad-Lock was one of the suppliers to offer its product, airfoam (insulated concrete forms) at cost to the project. An engineer on his team also provided a full day of learning on their products with students.
鈥淎nytime you can give back to the community where we live, we are all the better for it,鈥� said Collins.
Vernon鈥檚 Home Building Centre is supplying a number of products at or below cost, including windows from Gentek Building Products and exterior doors from Masonite. Other companies offering preferred pricing include JP Garage Doors, Livingwood Floors and D & B Home Fires.
鈥淲e are training our future clients, and we are happy to be involved,鈥� said Gary Gilchrist, Home Building Centre Owner.
For students, meeting experienced trades gives them a glimpse into the near future.
鈥淚 am so glad I chose carpentry. It is so interesting, and it gives me the opportunity to have a career that will support my kids,鈥� Couchman said. 鈥淚 am really proud of this project.鈥�
Related:
Related:
To report a typo, email:
newstips@vernonmorningstar.com.
newstips@vernonmorningstar.com
Like us on and follow us on .
