Farmington, CT – The KBE Foundation recently announced this year’s recipients of its annual Construction Careers Scholarship.
The scholarship was awarded to 18 students, each receiving $1,000 to pursue post-high school careers in the commercial construction industry. The awards were announced at a special awards night on May 13 at Farmington Gardens in Farmington. Now in its 10th year, the foundation has awarded a total of $167,000 to 155 students since its launch in 2015.
Vinal Tech scholarship recipients and their teachers celebrate at the event.
While most scholarships are typically earmarked for college tuition, the KBE Foundation’s Construction Career Scholarships can also be used to pay for the costs of post-high school education programs, certifications, and tools needed in the pursuit of a construction career. These programs include training programs in carpentry, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing trades; certification classes for state licensure; and 2- and 4-year degree programs in construction management.
Guest speakers at the scholarship awards event included Robert G. Dunn, president of the KBE Foundation; Marcie Addy, director of education for the Construction Education Center in Plainville; and Chris Fryxell, president of the Connecticut Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC).
Robert G. Dunn
“The need to encourage young women and men to get into this industry is huge,” said Dunn. “The construction industry in Connecticut and across the nation is facing a dire shortage of qualified workers, from trade craftworkers to construction project managers and superintendents. At KBE, we believe we have a responsibility to encourage young women and men to pursue construction careers and help ensure a solid workforce for the future. One challenge is convincing students and their families that a construction career can be highly rewarding, both financially and personally.”
This year’s recipients:
A.I. Prince Technical High School
Nevaeh Sanchez – plumbing
Eli Whitney Technical High School
Georgia Cunningham – electrical
Harvard H. Ellis Technical High School
Kayla Fear – masonry
Sadie Murray – electrical
Carter Rafferty – electrical
Travis Ryley – HVAC
H.C. Wilcox Technical High School
Caiden Godbout – plumbing
Henry Abbott Technical High School
Lindsay Guaman – architecture
Norwich Technical High School
Trevor Mileto – HVAC
Platt Technical High School
Brendan Shields – carpentry
Vinal Technical High School
Erin Lee – electrical
Blake Natter – carpentry
Alexander Richwine – electrical
Nathaniel Shine – carpentry
W.F. Kaynor Technical High School
Asha Humphry – electrical
Windham Technical High School
Kayden Carroll – HVAC
Central Connecticut State University
Tu-Lanh Criscuolo – construction management
Trevor Holzer – construction management
The KBE Foundation is a nonprofit public charity which now oversees all charitable giving for KBE Building Corporation and its affiliates.
