Cumberland County Schools Trade Days

Construction trades offer diverse career paths, with opportunities for specialization, advancement, and business ownership. Fayetteville Habitat created Trade Days to offer scholars a fresh perspective on transitioning into adulthood.

Douglas Byrd and Massey Hill Classical High School Students with CTE Teachers and FAHFH Staff

In 2024, we started Trade Days in our local high schools as a one-day commitment, then expanded to a week-long summer Construction Camp for select Cumberland County high school students. In our blog in July 2024, we stated the goal of the camp is to "build the future with the future" by investing in the next generation of tradesmen and tradeswomen. The average tradesperson is currently 55 years old and the trades require new workers, causing a future gap in skilled tradesmen. Due to the demand, this causes a large need for tradespeople and causes costly repairs and a rise in housing costs. This has a direct impact on housing affordability, which is the main goal of Fayetteville Area Habitat for Humanity (FAHFH).

Where's Shop Class?

Shop in CCS is technically still around. "Shop class" traditionally involved learning practical skills in a workshop setting, focusing on trades like woodworking, metalworking, or mechanics.

Modern Evolution:
While the term "shop class" is still used, these courses are now often referred to as Career and Technical Education (CTE).
Focus on Skills:
CTE programs aim to provide students with hands-on experience and skills that can lead to careers in various fields, including trades, manufacturing, and technology.

Cumberland County School's Vision:

Every student will have a fair opportunity to access engaging learning that prepares them to be competitive, collaborative, and successful in our global world. CCS Career and Technical Education empowers all students to be successful citizens, workers, and leaders in a global economy. With strategic goals in place, CTE participants will meet proficiency measured by a state assessment.

Instead of being an alternative, CTE courses are also an addition to college. FAHFH is bringing trades back to schools to show alternatives outside of certain choice schools that are offered throughout the county. Douglas Byrd High School has the Academies of Green Technology and Finance. Shanique Morgan, the CTE facilitator, Daina Grantham, Massey Hill Classical and Douglas Byrd's AIG Consultant, and Mondae Moffett, CCS Special Population Coordinator, oversaw the groups for FAHFH's first successful Trades Day of the year. Using the Miter saw, which students were not allowed to use, they were also able to build a stool to take home.

When we show up to support our local schools, we do not know how we will connect to the students. We encourage their build with the hopes that they open up to us. Aaliyah, from Douglas Byrd, was the first to complete her stool. She observed each step closely and mentioned that she helps her sister with DIY projects for her business. As Helen proudly painted her stool, she shared that she is in her senior year at Massey Hill Classical and has earned over $25,000 in academic scholarships, though she is still unsure which college she wants to attend.

Alger B. Wilkins High School partnered with E. E. Smith High School, the Fire Science Academy, during their day of learning a trade. Creativity sparked when students worked alongside their peers, encouraging and helping each other to completion. While waiting for a confirmed instruction, Ariana, a senior at Alger B. Wilkins explained how she's not too much into woodworking but is interested in electrical. She plans to attend FTCC. Our senior site supervisor, Avis, was excited to highlight our recent Women's Build event in which the electrical station was led by a female instructor, an HBI graduate, Taryn.

While working Isaiah gave us his whole business plan, with a tagline included, for his future business. He plans to attend trade school to specialize in jewelry making. He understands that he must start small, beginning with 925 silver before progressing to 950 silver. From there, he aims to work with gold and moissanite, eventually advancing to diamonds. Impressed with how Isaiah compartmentalizes the build, I asked him what business name we should look for if we were to follow up with him in a few years. His answer: Size Jewelry.

Listening to Isaiah encourage Trejon, he talked about how he wanted to sell cars, telling him "he can do it." Trejon even acknowledged Women's Month. Although some started shy like Christian, he was reminiscing about watching his Grandpa "fix a lot of stuff." His counterpart yelled out with confidence "That ain't going nowhere!" Esaish, was referring to his first leg that he drilled in place, proudly.

It's clear that Jerome Keels, the CTE Building Skills Teacher, is encouraging students to explore different perspectives on life after high school. With a Non-profit that he runs with his wife, called SHARE (Supplying Household Assistance to Recruited Educators), Mr. Keels is hands-on with everything that involves education.

Amongst the group, Kenny from E.E. Smith took pride in the stool he built, although he wasn't sure who he would gift it to. He went back and forth between his cousin and the school counselor, whom he was taking pictures to show. Other Golden Bulls, tested their stools with their weight, while some took artistic notes on the paint splatter method, and others practiced using their tape measure, which each student receives for participating.

The colors each student chose for stain or paint, they took pride in our Habitat for Humanity logo, personalizing it to make it their own.

As we traveled to schools and met each CTE facilitator, Brigitte Anderson of Pine Forest, greeted us with eleven students, the MAJORITY BEING FEMALES. She wanted to recruit young ladies because she didn't want them to think they couldn't do this. Sharing a table with sisters Hailei and Ashanti, Ms. Anderson fed off the positive energy they displayed during the entire build. Ashanti and her leadership qualities joked with Ms. Anderson about how to use a drill the proper way, and how FAHFH COO, Rick taught them. The encouragement and humor from Hailei and Ashanti remind our staff why we do this.

One proud instructor moment was watching Dakota monitor the time so she could get to her college course at FTCC. One of her courses is welding, which she explained was why she knew how to sand so well. Dakota is aiming to graduate early.

Confidence continuously poured while listening to students shout out "I knew what I was doing, that's why I did it first!" to teenage lingo "I ate that sanding uppppp!," meaning they did a great job. Creativity definitely "flowed in the forest." Whatever it takes to remember the work we embedded in each student, by the nicknames that grew on us like Rick and Morty, we at FAHFH love doing Trade Days with Cumberland County Schools. Thank You.

We're halfway through our 2nd Annual Trade Days with CCS High Schools and excited to serve the remaining schools! Next up: Westover, 71st, Cumberland Poly, Jack Britt, South View, and Reid Ross.