Cru Concrete Gives High School Students Hands-On Learning about Rewarding Careers in Concrete Construction
The American construction industry is one of the largest in the world, with a commitment to quality, safety and longevity. And within the United States, Wisconsin stands out as a great place to be a construction worker. According to the Associated Builders and Contractors’ 10th annual Merit Shop Scorecard released in December 2024, Wisconsin ranks number one in the country for construction. This annual scorecard looks at all fifty states’ taxpayer-funded construction projects and evaluates policies and programs that further workforce development and careers in construction. This high rating means that an increasing number of young people in the Midwest are choosing to pursue careers in construction straight from high school instead of going to two-year or four-year colleges.
For students who are interested in entering the construction field but are unsure whether it’s a good fit for them, trade and industry programs at the high school level are a great way to test the waters to see not just whether a career in construction is right for them, but which specific field interests them the most.
For the past six years, CFA Certified Contractor and member Cru Concrete (formerly Hottmann Construction) of Dane and Waukesha, Wisconsin, has been a proud participant in the Franklin High School’s Advanced Construction class’ house build project. Students from Franklin High School work together with the Cru Concrete crews, learning from experts and helping with every step of the concrete-laying process. This includes installing and removing forms, pouring footings and walls, and completing the many steps involved in the flatwork process.
Franklin teacher Andrew Mente, who introduced and oversees the program, explains how a house-building project that’s part of this program works. “Our Advanced Construction class collaborates with Tim O’Brien builders to give our students a spec home where we can be a part of the entire house build. Students get to be hands-on from foundation to finish, working side by side with the contractors. They get real-world on the jobsite experience and get to meet and work with twenty-plus tradespeople.”
Interest in the program continues to grow and garner attention. CBS channel 58 (WDJT-TV) out of Milwaukee featured an in-depth look at the program in October 2024 on their Sunday Morning news. There is currently a waitlist of interested students and a rising amount of interest from female students. Nearly half of the program’s current students are female, which is a sharp increase from years past.
Student participant Emily Engel feels the program has given her “a chance to discover new career paths.” Though her focus is more on the electrical field, she sees value in understanding the whole process of how a home is constructed.
Even students who are not considering careers in construction find they have a lot to learn from the program. Miranda Gander, a Franklin senior who plans to attend the University of Wisconsin -Stout in Menomonie in fall 2025 for industrial and product design, explains how participating in this program will help her in her future career: “It’s really helpful to see all different aspects of people’s jobs so that I can create products eventually that benefit the homeowner.”
Mente shares, “Working with Cru is a great time for the students because they let the kids get ankle-deep in concrete, placing forms and floating finish. It’s impossible for me as a teacher to recreate that experience at school, so getting them onto actual job sites teaches them so many things they can’t get in a lab.”
Some students start out thinking a construction career is for them, but the program causes them to reconsider, or to at least shift their focus from one type of construction to another. Other students go into the program expecting to like it and find they love it. These are all wins, because ultimately the goal is to match the right workers with the right careers so strong, lasting partnerships can develop.
For students who try out the program and are drawn to concrete construction as a career choice, there are opportunities for apprenticeships or, in the case with Cru, getting hired and being provided with on-the-job training. As Mente says, “It’s a great collaboration that benefits both groups and helps make a pipeline for students interested in the trades.” For those students who go through the program and are hired by Cru, they have a clear and direct route to a stable, well-paying career that typically offers plenty of room for growth and advancement. Few jobs can offer that to an 18- or 19-year-old just starting out. But at Cru, many of the executives, including owner Ken Kurszewski, began their careers out in the field and worked their way up.
“Working with Andrew and his Advanced Construction class has been an incredibly rewarding experience,” says Mike Swift, General Manager at Cru Concrete. “Each year, we look forward to engaging with the students and introducing them to the world of concrete construction. Many high school juniors and seniors are still exploring potential career paths, and this is a unique opportunity for us to show them how they can build a rewarding future here at Cru Concrete.”
Ultimately, this program is about collaboration, with all involved benefiting. Cru Concrete is proud to be a part of this collaboration and looks forward to many more years of working with Franklin High School students.
SOURCES
https://www.abc.org/News-Media/News-Releases/abc-wisconsin-is-the-top-state-for-construction
https://www.cbs58.com/news/this-is-our-classroom-franklin-high-school-students-learn-on-the-job-site
Interviews with Andrew Mente, Emily Engel, and Miranda Gander
