Thought Leadership

Introducing Construction at an Early Age

In the past, many people entered the construction workforce because it was a family business. They grew up swinging the hammer because their dad and generations before did. With a steady decline of what used to be considered blue-collar jobs since the 1960s and an even steeper plummet after the 2008 recession, many young people lack the familiarity with the trades that was once commonplace.

MW Builders is actively working to reintroduce the construction industry to young people across the Kansas City area through a partnership with Prep-KC. Prep-KC provides students in partner schools with opportunities to engage with business professionals and higher education faculty to help young people explore their futures and see the relevance of rigorous academic preparation in high school and beyond. This past fall, MW Builders participated in a total of five Prep-KC events at Allen Village Charter School, Argentine Middle School, Grandview High School, East High School, and Hickman Mills Freshman Center. The events varied, but all stayed true to the theme of helping expose young people to industries and employable skills that they might not otherwise know.

“We have really appreciated the opportunity to help provide guidance to young people in our area,” says Sparky Campbell, corporate field trainer with MMC Corp, parent company of MW Builders. “A career in construction is incredibly fulfilling and it’s a great feeling to be able to open the door to that option to today’s young people, especially if they aren’t sure the college career path is right for them.”

Based on the success of our partnership with Prep-KC, MW Builders is looking forward to continuing our outreach initiative and participating in even more Prep-KC events in 2019.

In addition, MW Builders has also began working with Northland Caps Internship Program, an organization that provides associates with the opportunity to gain authentic, hands-on work experience in a professional work environment related to their academic and career interests. The program is also designed to provide employers an opportunity to guide and evaluate future talent. MW Builder’s first intern from this program will begin her internship after the first of the year.