IBEW Local 405 (Cedar Rapids IA) Apprentices Build a Home and Help Young People Choose a Craft

Students develop skills through school's house-building project

FAIRFAX, Iowa (AP) -- Prairie High School teamed up with business and government to provide a house-building project designed to utilize and foster the skills of students in varied fields.

In the first year of Prairie Home Construction, school officials chose 15 juniors and seniors from a pool of 60 applicants to build a 2,800-square-foot house valued at $215,000 to $245,000.

The students work from noon to 3 p.m. every school day.

"It gives students a relative pass to working in a field that involves construction," instructor Joe Greathouse said. "It really takes a project like this to understand the scope of things."

Junior Ryan Steichen, 17, plans to use the experience to his advantage when pursuing a career in pipe fitting after high school.

"It's pretty neat how we all get to do this," Steichen said. "It gives experience if you do want to do this job. You learn on the job, hands-on, instead of figuring it out in your head."

Greathouse said the project is special because the accounting, botany, design, marketing and art classes chip in to work the books; landscape; choose cabinets and carpeting; and other tasks.

"It's just like a real business," said Norma Bowersox, who teaches the advanced accounting class. "It's incredible because the kids really take ownership in it; they take pride in it. (The project) teaches them things that just aren't in the textbooks."

Bowersox said the information gathered this year will be valuable in planning next years project. Greathouse will have material costs at his fingertips.

In addition, private individuals, unions and companies support the project.

Greathouse solicited the help of Tim Carson, representative of the U.S. Department of Labor in Cedar Rapids, to facilitate relationships with building contractors and unions that provide materials and instruction.

"Our role is trying to create a link between business, industry, education and government," Carson said. "We want to expose the youth to the construction industry and the apprenticeship world through business contacts."

Among the many organizations doling out support, a handful pitched in significant amounts of material and instruction, including Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 125 and IBEW 405.

"The opportunity is one of the main reasons we got on board with (the project)," said Glen Henry, training director for the IBEW Electricians Apprenticeship Program. "We're always striving to showcase the opportunities the building trades have to offer."

Henry said the fact that more than 120 apprentices are involved in his program opens the heck out of the eyes of the kids at Prairie. Students have already expressed interest or already applied to the IBEW apprenticeship program.

Greathouse said that without the help received from IBEW, other organizations and individuals, startup costs could never have been recouped.

The instructor said students will build another home next year, and similar offshoots will be available in the future.

"It's nice to see something you've put a lot of time into," said senior Cody Dill. "It's good that the whole school is getting involved."