The Kid That Picked Up The Shovel

At the end of the last school year, Frame Your Future collaborated with the NewTech Skills Center, Central Premix and Anderson-Morris Concrete to teach 50 high school students how to pour and finish concrete–a major on-the-job skill in construction.

As the project got rolling around 8 a.m., instructors and volunteers were setting out tools and preparing to delegate tasks to the dozens of students gathering at the site, but one student stood out. Without prompting, the young man grabbed a shovel, and simply asked, “How can I help?”

He would go on to hustle throughout the day, impressing all the adults onsite with his can-do attitude and eagerness to pitch in.

“This is the kid that I want to hire,” said Chris Anderson with Anderson-Morris Concrete. “You can train a new person how to finish concrete. You can’t train them to step up and take initiative. Either you have a good work ethic and you get it, or you don’t.”

That eager student, who picked up the shovel without being asked, symbolized the potential that Frame Your Future is here to ignite. Connecting students with hustle and an eagerness to learn with companies seeking skilled employees, is just one way that FYF is creating an impact in our community.

FYF is building a bridge between young individuals seeking meaningful career opportunities and construction companies eager to find dedicated workers. The initiative acknowledges the untapped potential within our youth and harnesses their passion to develop essential skills, preparing them for the world of work.

“Volunteering at one of Frame Your Future’s projects is an incredible opportunity for employers to recruit workers,” said Burrow. “The companies that visit the classroom and participate in our projects essentially have first pick out of an eager pool of applicants for entry level jobs like a real-time, on-the-job interview.”

As we begin the upcoming 2023-2024 school year, FYF is doubling down on its efforts to strengthen the connection between students and employers in the construction sector. By exposing kids to the trades at a young age and making a clear pathway to employment, the initiative helps to reduce the skill gaps and worker shortages that contractors are facing today.

This fall, FYF will be piloting a new student ambassador program that will bring students together with industry professionals and employers. The program is just one of many ways that companies can get involved in the initiative.

“Frame Your Future is calling for more companies to join the movement,” says Ryan Edens, Construction Area Manager with D.R. Horton and Spokane Home Builders Association’s Workforce Development Committee Chair. “Join the committee or volunteer to be a guest speaker and help us build a talented and motivated workforce.”

If you are interested in investing in the lives of students and the Frame Your Future program we invite you to complete this brief survey.

Together, we hope to transform the kid who picks up the shovel into your next best hire.