The Knox County Career Center Building Trades program recognized seven students who earned the status of “Building Trades Elite.”
“Building Trades Elite” (BT Elite) is a program generated by Colby Clippinger, KCCC Building Trades instructor, and the KCCC Building Trades Advisory Council that began in 2019-2020. The program’s criteria centers around attendance, discipline, industry credentialing, and extracurricular activities. A point system is set up where students earn points for attendance, grades, industry credentialing, and extracurricular activities. Students can lose points for being tardy, absent, and for discipline issues. In order to earn “BT Elite” status, students must earn 250 points and must maintain 250 points or higher until graduation to keep the “BT Elite” status.
The “BT Elite” program is completely company-sponsored, according to Clippinger. Students who earn “BT Elite” status are awarded a hoodie and an interview shirt. The companies pay for the hoodies and interview shirts. The hoodie has the Building Trades Elite crest on the back along with the company sponsors. The student’s name and “BT Elite” are on the front of the hoodie. The interview shirt has “BT Elite” and the student’s name on the front.
“We appreciate the companies who have partnered with us on the 'BT Elite' program. The 'BT Elite' program creates a well-rounded and ready-to-hire student,” Clippinger said.
Students Edward Rodriguez, Javier Sica-Gonzalez, William Armstrong, Timothy Garven, Jason Robbins, Heidi Purdum, and Samuel Swendal earned “BT Elite” status recently and received their hoodies and interview shirts. Fifty-two students from the Building Trades program have now earned “BT Elite” status since its inception.
“The BT Elite program has had a profound impact on the students. It continually helps keep students accountable for themselves and they are now encouraging other students to attain the same level. This will only improve the quality of tradespeople entering into the workforce,” Clippinger said.
KCCC & the Building Trades program would like to thank the companies who sponsor “BT Elite,” including J & B Acoustical, Ohio Contractors Association, ProTech Basement Solutions, LiUNA! Local 1216, Kokosing, Corna Kokosing, Brennstuhl Construction, Modern Builders, Gray Mechanical, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America Local 735, Holmes Rental & Sales, Meade Roofing Services, Small’s Sand & Gravel, Ellis Brothers, Igel, Ruhlin, and Rietschlin Construction.
