North Iowa Area Community College hosted 13 area high schools at its annual design build event last week. Each team was tasked with constructing a chicken coop and had the opportunity to be mentored by a professional in the construction industry and or a NIACC Building Trades Alumni.
Belmond Klemme’s team including Jackson Johanns, Brody Heifner, Braden Dougherty and Liam Fournier turned in the top build. The Broncos were mentored by Brandon Jones from Aarow Builders of Kansas City, and co-host of a podcast on the Build Show Network.
North Butler’s team including Aiden Witte, Jaxson Miller, Trager Pecha, Kale Mulder finished in second. The Bearcats were mentored by Troy Elwood, Co-Owner of Larry Elwood Construction in Mason City.
NIACC Building Trades Instructor Gregg Helmich on the community impact this event is geared towards.
“The goal behind this, it’s all about the students, to give them an experience. They’re working with a mentor who’s either a former student or somebody in the construction trades. They can kind of get some excitement and realize this is a viable option, you know, for a great career. Of course, our hopes are that they would come to NIACC, to the Building Trades Program, but just on a bigger scale that they would look at the trades as a viable option. There’s a big gap in the skilled trades area, for skilled workers that we need, especially in North Iowa as well.”
Both Belmond-Klemme and North Butler were given Dewalt multi-tool packages for their shops as a prize for their top finishes.
The coops constructed were donated back to each participating school, so that they could be sold to support each shop program.
