Photo by Neal Embry.
VHHS juniors Aristotle Tsantes and Darion Dobyne work on a piece of duct for an HVAC unit at the Academy of Craft Training near Avondale.
Before entering the Academy of Craft Training, Vestavia Hills High School junior Aristotle Tsantes planned, like many of his peers, to go to college and eventually find a major.
However, after spending two hours every day this year learning how to work in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), Tsantes’ plans have changed.
“After this, it kind of changes my whole opinion,” Tsantes said. “College may come in the future, but right now, with what’s going on [at ACT], where I can go and work, … it definitely changes your point of view.”
The ACT opened in August 2016 and is a public-private partnership between the state’s education system and construction companies. It is designed to train high school juniors and seniors in trade skills and to be work-ready upon graduation, offering an alternative to a college or university.
“I think it is an incredible opportunity for our area students,” said Mike Donaldson, the career and technical director at Vestavia Hills City Schools.
The ACT serves 14 school districts in the state, including Vestavia, which currently has 15 students in the program, ACT Director Russ Cofield said.
“I’m excited about the reach that ACT has in the Vestavia Hills community, and I know that there’s construction talent in Vestavia,” Cofield said.
Students can learn skills including HVAC, welding, electrical work, masonry and other talents that will help them land jobs with companies upon graduation from their high school and completion of the program. In order to be a part of ACT, students must apply, write an essay and sit down for an interview with CEOs and other construction company leaders.
When a student completes the academy and graduates from his or her school, there’s a chance they’ll be offered a job and congratulated by those same company leaders at the ACT “Signing Day.”
For students accepted into the program, there’s an expectation that they will treat it like they would a regular job. No cell phones or horseplay are allowed, attendance is taken and students are expected to be on time. If a student fails to meet the requirements, they are “terminated,” though employment coordinator Mark McCord said they do believe in second chances. They have had students reapply after being sent home, and they’ve come back to complete the program.
The facility, located in Avondale, is supplied by the state, while the construction industry supplies teachers through the Association of Builders and Contractors, Donaldson said.
Tyson Stewart, a senior at VHHS, is learning how to weld, and said he’s planning on using what he’s learned at ACT as he prepares to enter the workforce.
Photo by Neal Embry.
Dawhaymon White, a senior at Vestavia Hills High School, learns to work with brick and mortar at the Academy of Craft Training, which prepares high school students for the workforce. The ACT serves 14 school districts in the state, including Vestavia, which currently has 15 students in the program.
“People don’t understand you don’t have to go to college anymore,” Stewart said.
Some of the students even used their holiday break to work at internships, including Juan Ramirez, who’s learning electrical work like his father.
“I got involved because my teacher recommended this to me, and I wanted to learn more,” Ramirez said.
Students don’t just do mock-up projects, McCord said. Classrooms used at the site were built by students, from the bricks to the HVAC to the floors, McCord said.
McCord said instructors not only help students develop skills related to their trade, but the “soft skills” required to be a productive and professional employee, such as making eye contact, saying “yes sir and no sir” and treating everyone with respect. Students are also exposed to a “real-world” job site, as there’s a “diverse population” at the academy,McCord said.
“Once they put their vest on, that hard hat, everybody’s working toward the same goal, to be employed by the end of the year,” McCord said. “It just makes them better people. … We’re helping them to become productive members of society.”
Senior Dawhaymon White is learning about construction using brick and mortar, about how to spread mortar and how to avoid having too much or too little water.
“It feels good [to finish a project],” he said.
Trent Dunn, a senior, has learned electrical work, including bringing light to a dark room.
“Once you flip that switch and see the light come on, it’s a really cool experience,” Dunn said.
Donaldson said it’s great to witness students see their future unfold before them while in the program, and some companies that hire the students will pay them to continue their education once they are employed.
“It enables students to participate in a program like this that they would not otherwise have,” Donaldson said.
McCord said for students coming out of high school, the absolute lowest starting pay they can expect after completing the program is $12.50 per hour. After a trial period, that pay usually increases to $14 to $17 per hour. Two previous graduates are now working on the Interstate 59/20 project in Birmingham and are earning $19 or $20 an hour, McCord said.
While the program is currently open only to juniors and seniors, Donaldson said as participation in the program rises, the door could open to allow sophomores to enter the ACT.
More information can be found at academyofcrafttraining.org.
