JACKSONVILLE – ACE Mentor Program of Northeast Florida recently held its inaugural Trades Day to introduce high school students to a variety of construction trades through demonstrations and hands-on activities with local firms.

The event, held at American Electrical Contracting, was designed to educate students about the immediate trade job opportunities within the industry in Northeast Florida. Although contractors are increasingly busy and are eager to hire more workers, low rate of unemployment and record job openings in construction show how difficult it is bringing enough workers on board.

Founded in 2007, the ACE Mentor Program of Northeast Florida is an after-school program for high school students interested in exploring careers in architecture, construction and engineering. The program currently serves more than 200 students from Clay, Duval and St. Johns counties, including Orange Park and Middleburg highs. Through office tours, college visits, hands-on activities and site visits, the program introduces students to the industry’s various disciplines. Under the mentorship of more than 80 local industry professionals, students work in teams on projects that simulate real-life situations. ACE Mentor Program of Northeast Florida also provides scholarships to participating students to continue their education within the industry.

The event included demonstrations from 20 construction organizations that support ACE Mentor Program of Northeast Florida including carpentry contractor B3 Millwork, electrical contractor American Electrical, plumbing and mechanical contractors Campbell Plumbing & Mechanical, MetroPower Plumbing and W.W. Gay, sprinkler contracting firm Cox Fire Protection, design-build contractor Haskell, general contractor Auld and White, framing and drywall firm JE Abercombie, and roofing firm Reliant Roofing. Apprenticeship programs represented included: Electrical Training Alliance, Northeast Florida Builders Association (NEFBA), First Coast Technical College, Tulsa Welding School, American Electrical Academy, and Plumbing, Pipefitters and HVAC Association UA Local 234. Other organizations and supporters included masonry organizations Florida Concrete Products Association, Florida Masonry Apprenticeship Education Foundation and Masonry Association of Florida, workforce development nonprofit iBuild, National Black Women in Construction (NABWIC), and FastSigns.

“Skilled tradespeople are the backbone of the construction industry, and many of our students simply aren’t aware of the vast job opportunities, which pay well and offer long-term career growth,” said Nicole Eubanks, Affiliate Director of ACE Mentor Program of Northeast Florida. “With rising construction activity in Florida and tight labor market conditions, it’s vital that we take additional steps to recruit and train tomorrow’s workers.”

To learn more about joining ACE Mentoring Program of Northeast Florida, please visit www.acementor.org/northeast-fl.