Careers Center Celebrates a Strategic Vision

"AGC of St. Louis engaged in strategic planning in December of 1999," Len Toenjes, president of that organization recalled on Feb. 10 before a ballroom of people at the Millennium Hotel. "Under the action plan item of ‘workforce,' a general objective was ‘increase workforce availability and improve quality.' The fourth action item under this general objective was to ‘pursue establishment of a charter construction school'."

On Feb. 10th that ballroom full of people celebrated the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Construction Careers Center, also known as "Triple C" to its students, faculty, and supporters. The charter for the school, which carries the motto "First of Its Kind" on its logo, was approved by the Missouri board of education in January 2001 and the first freshman class admitted in August of 2001.

To date, 278 students have graduated from the Construction Careers Center. Some are employed today as carpenter apprentices, bricklayer assistants, operating engineer apprentices, and laborers. Some decided to join the military, and a number went on to college to pursue degrees in engineering and architecture.

Today, those graduates are studying at the University of Nebraska, Kansas State University, Alabama A&M University, Southern University, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, St. Louis Community College and the UMSL/Washington University Joint Engineering Program.

In December 2010 Brian Cox, CCC Class of 2006, became the first to graduate from a four-year university, earning a bachelor's degree in construction management from SIUE. While earning his degree, Cox interned at construction firms including ABNA Engineering, S.M. Wilson and Cissell-Mueller, as well as MODOT.

Emcee Carol Daniel of radio station KMOX asked the graduates of the program in the audience to rise and directed them to look her in the eye. She told them that she considered them all to be special and thought of them as her children. Then she told them that they had been given a great gift and a great challenge to honor those who had made the school possible by doing great things.

That challenge was echoed by the keynote speaker, Rev. Aeneas Williams, former St. Louis Rams defensive standout. Williams, who decided to stay in St. Louis after his retirement and as pastor of Spirit of the Lord Family Church, encouraged the students to do their very best and to give back to the community.

AGC of St. Louis Chairman Mike Perry, president of HBD Contracting, presented the third annual Construction Careers Center Outstanding Service Award to Terry Nelson, secretary-treasurer of the Carpenters' District Council of Greater St. Louis and Vicinity. "(Nelson) personally mentored several students and provided job shadowing opportunities," Perry said. "He continually served as an advocate for students with discipline or academic issues. To improve instructional services at the school, he mentored students and provided resources in the form of teachers on loan from the Carpenters."

Nelson was unable to attend, but Al Bond, assistant secretary-treasurer, accepted on his behalf.

In concluding the program Toenjes introduced program graduates Leandre Gibson, a bricklayer apprentice who will achieve journeyman status in April; Jeremiah Love, who is currently a carpenter apprentice; Michael Dahl, who is the first graduate to reach journeyman status as a laborer; and Dwight Sloan, who is an operating engineer and the second to achieve journeyman status.

Toenjes presented a video narrated by KMOX's Charles Brennan on the Charter School. This is a link to that video.

"As we look at our successes to date," Toenjes said, "I would like you to think about the future Triple C graduates. Working together, the school and the construction industry can continue to create real jobs and real futures for today's and tomorrow's students."

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