Building Futures Foundation, Building Industry Association honors scholarship recipients at August meeting
VANCOUVER, Wash, August 21, 2023 – Building Futures Foundation (BFF), a 501(c) 3 nonprofit foundation associated with the Building Industry Association of Clark County (BIA), announces its 2023 scholarship recipients at its August dinner meeting. Since 2007, BFF has awarded 121 scholarships and tool grants, representing a total investment of $213,250 in construction careers. At the event, a separate scholarship was funded and awarded by Nutter Corporation during the ceremony.
“As part of Building Futures Foundation’s mission of promoting and funding workforce development opportunities that support the building and construction industry, we are thrilled to distribute $28 thousand to 10 recipients for 2023,” stated Sarah Niebert with Affinity Homes LLC and Building Futures Foundation Co-Chair. “These scholarships are an investment in the recipient’s future and the future workforce that supports the homebuilding industry.”
BFF is spearheading a renewed focus on education and training for high demand skilled trades through school programs, scholarships, and advocacy. According to Construction Drive, a recent study indicates that the construction industry has a workforce gap of a half a million workers. The shortage is being exacerbated by education systems that has overlooked skilled trade training in recent history along with a generation of skilled trade workers who are aging out.
“The demand for skilled trades is only going to increase as we address the housing deficit that is projected to require 100 thousand housing units in Clark County throughout the next 20 years,” said Bart Hansen, BIA’s Executive Officer. “This is a tall order for our industry but we are tackling it from every angle, especially, workforce development. Development begins with opportunity and that’s exactly what BFF’s scholarships provide.”
This year’s recipients will attend programs that provide education and training in range fields including civil engineering to interior design to electrician. In addition to program scholarships, BFF offers tool grants for individuals who are entering apprenticeship programs or starting a business.
BFF 2023 scholarship recipients by career field/degree program:
Engineering- civil/architectural/structural
Ava Golemo- Graduate of Skyview High School
Elijah Loudenback- Boise State University
Laura Muntean-University of Washington
Miriam Muntean- Boise State University
Interior Design
Chavelle Higgins- 2021 Prairie High School Graduate, plans to attend Heritage Interior Design School, interior designer
Philanthropy and Business
Sophia Reyes- Graduate of Columbia River High School (Scholarship sponsored by Nutter Corporation)
Skilled trades
Ava Stewart- Plumbing apprentice at Construction Industry Training Council of Washington
Julian Torres- Electrician apprentice at Construction Industry Training Council of Washington
Tool grants
Erin Bowen- Plumbing apprentice at Construction Industry Training Council of Washington
Anthony Herdon- Electrician apprentice at Newman Electric
“Our organization is extending a big congratulations to the 2023 BFF scholarship recipients,” stated Hansen. “We look forward to seeing where their careers take them.”
For more information regarding Building Futures Foundation and its scholarship offerings, email Bart Hansen at bart@biaofclarkcounty.org. Financial support for Building Futures Foundation can be submitted online at biaofclarkcounty.org/building-futures-foundation/.
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Building Futures Foundation (BFF), a 501(c) 3 nonprofit foundation associated with the Building Industry Association of Clark County (BIA). BFF’s mission is to promote and fund workforce development opportunities that support the building and construction industry. Since 2007, BFF has awarded 121 scholarships and tool grants, representing a total investment of $213,250 in construction careers.