BreakingGround808 Breaks New Ground by Mentoring Educators

GCA is taking BreakingGround808 to a new, exciting level to inspire the next generation of construction industry professionals.

This signature program began in 2019 and featured a week of activities, held during spring or fall break, to give high school students an opportunity to learn about different aspects of the construction industry through classroom learning and hands-on projects. Students also met with GCA members so they could learn about careers in the industry firsthand.

In 2024, BG808 is shifting its focus from teaching students to teaching the counselors and teachers who work with building & construction students in Hawaii Department of Education schools. The pilot program will include five, day-long sessions from August through November.

The information provided to educators will add a real-world dimension to the curriculum taught to students. Participants in the BG808 program will gain knowledge of the various career opportunities in the construction industry and the educational requirements for these roles. This will enable them to offer more personalized career guidance, helping students identify whether they are best suited for trades positions or professional roles such as project manager or project engineer.

Comprehensive Program

“Half of each day will be spent in the field building a project. We’re currently proposing a Tiny House to be donated to Kama‘oku Kauhale or other similar program on Oahu,” said George Denise, Chair of the GCA Workforce Development Committee. “The other half of the day will be spent in the classroom, so that educators can learn about scheduling, estimating, plan reading, and other topics and experience some of the modern tools and techniques being used in construction today.”

The program will culminate with an optional session to visit a jobsite, based on the interest of the educators and availability of projects.

Personalized Mentoring

GCA members and other construction industry professionals will equip educators from across Hawaii with valuable information on the construction industry, so that in turn, they can be effective teachers to prepare students for a career in the industry.

The BG808 pilot program will include two to three educators from five Oahu high schools – Kaimuki, Mililani, Pearl City, Roosevelt, and Waipahu. Each school will be partnered with one of five GCA member companies that will participate in the program with them and offer coaching along the way.

The mentors will support teachers throughout the BG808 program and will remain a valuable resource and partner after its completion. They will be available to answer questions, periodically provide guest speakers for classes, and assist in supervising or guiding teachers through building their own Tiny House projects with their classes.

“These small groups will be a team during the program and beyond,” said Samasoni Tamasese, Vice Chair of the GCA Workforce Development Committee. “The contractor will serve as a subject matter expert, mentor and resource to maximize the learning and development of the educators.”