News Release: JAG-K Students Learn About Construction Industry at “Build My Future” Event

Nearly 200 participants in Jobs for America’s Graduates-Kansas (JAG-K) from the Wichita area attended the recent Build My Future expo sponsored by the Wichita Area Builders Association (WABA). The event introduced students to careers in the building and construction industry.

WABA promoted the event as an effort “to motivate and equip our youth to excel in the skilled trades and construction industry, paving the way for professional success and innovation.”

JAG-K is a multi-year, in-school program for students in grades 6-12 that offers tools to successfully transition students into post-secondary school, the military, or directly into the workforce with marketable skills. JAG-K programs from five Wichita high schools plus Augusta, Circle, and El Dorado high schools brought students to the expo held at Park City Arena Oct. 30.

“One of the takeaways I got from the event today was, there are so much more out there than you can possibly imagine,” Angel Valenzuela, senior at Wichita North High School, said at the expo. “Just about anything you want to pursue as a career, you have the opportunity to do. With the way things are changing and happening, the possibilities are endless.”

Dozens of participating businesses and organizations demonstrated implements and machines used in building and construction, giving students up-close and hands-on exposure to the tools of the skilled trades.

“I’m always worried about not being able to compete with the masses. This showed me to focus on my dreams and not worry about the competition,” said Dorian Padilla, senior at Wichita North High School. “There is room for all of us and not all of us want to do the same thing. With so many different avenues you can take, there is room for everyone. The biggest thing is to stay focused, stay hungry and most importantly always be willing to learn.”

Build My Future events have been held in other locations around Kansas in the past. Enthusiasm for introducing students to building and construction has made the event popular with schools across the state.

“Build My Future started in Missouri and several states now have them,” said Kelly Snedden, Director of College Relations and Marketing at Butler Community College. “We are so thrilled, we have over 1,300 students here today getting hands on experience in anything to do with construction, with major industries here demonstrating the various aspects of the trade.”

Kansas’ 114 JAG-K programs serve approximately 6,200 students in 48 school districts across the state. JAG-K Career Specialists help students graduate and learn career, leadership, and life skills by executing a nationally-accredited, evidence-based model. Participants must meet criteria to be selected for the program and have potential to overcome various barriers to post-secondary success. Last year, JAG-K had 805 high school graduates.

The 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization is a state affiliate of the national JAG program network which operates in 36 different states and territories. It is primarily funded through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant to the State of Kansas administered by the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF). In addition to school districts and DCF, JAG-K partners with the Kansas Department of Education. Other JAG-K funding sources include ADM, AT&T, EagleU, Goldstein Charitable Trust, the JB and Anne Hodgdon Foundation, Honeywell, John Deere, the Kansas Chamber of Commerce, Kansas Gas Service, the Kansas Insurance Department, the Office of the Kansas State Bank Commissioner, United Way of Kaw Valley, United Way of the Plains, U.S. Bank and Walmart.

To learn more about JAG-K, visit  www.jagkansas.org, or ‘Jobs for America’s Graduates-Kansas’ on Facebook and LinkedIn.

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