My name is Jon Girod, owner of Quail Homes.

We started our business in 1989 in Southwest Washington.

About 3 years ago I met with all school superintendents in Southwest Washington. I found out that about one-third of our students attend college and school facilities, and curriculum are heavily weighted on serving the one-third. The schools that had some kind of vocational training were developing hobby ready skills rather than job ready. I was looking for a give back program and I found it. We renamed our 501©3 nonprofit to Careers in Construction Southwest Washington (SWWA). Its focus is to increase student participation in construction classes, align curriculum to be more job ready and increase networking opportunities so that students can be employed prior to graduation.

When we started in 2021, we had about 100 students in construction classes in Southwest Washington. In fall of 2024 about 1,250.

Below are reasons why we have seen this tremendous growth.

• We are working within the core plus curriculum (state approved) which allows students to get a geometry credit while in a construction class. How cool is that!!
• We are getting first class skilled trade centers built on high school campuses. Two finished, two under construction, three funded and in design and two schools retrofitting existing facilities to allow for more robust training.
• We are getting kids competing in electrical, plumbing and carpentry categories within the Skills USA framework. Hudson Bay High School produced a plumbing state champion in only its second year competing in Skills USA. The student took fifteen at the nationals.

Careers in Construction Core Purpose:

Work with local schools to increase student participation, advance facilities, curriculum, and networking so that students can obtain quality jobs in the building industry upon graduation.