For two years on the job site, there had been the swat of hammers, the “psst” of nail guns, and the sounds of laughter—all the racket amounted to young hands building their skills, forming bonds, and working together toward a common goal.
Students from Murray High School in Utah have been building houses for class credit, and soon, a family will begin living in the new full-size home on West Bullion Street.
Eleven houses have been raised so far in Murray High’s home-building program, which launched in 1996. That’s one house every two years, Quinn Perry, 53, the school’s building trades instructor, tells The Epoch Times. Adding to the tally, a few sheds, garages, and mini houses were squeezed in during off years.
The program’s purpose?
“To give students real-life experiences,” Mr. Perry said, adding that “the more you can make it real, the more learning the students will have.”
So many tradesmen are needed now in America, according to the former construction worker-turned-teacher who once built houses working for his grandpa. And until recently, there hasn’t been a meaningful push to develop apprentices or professional talent.
“And with that [lack of training] developed a huge skills gap in America that we’re trying to fill,” he said. “In America, the average job tradesman is in his late 50s.
711 West Bullion Street
They arrived in shifts, with 22 kids in Mr. Perry’s “B” class and 15 kids in his “A” class, showing up at the job site on West Bullion Street in Murray. They worked on the 2,800-square-foot house, with four bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms, a three-car garage, and a fully-finished basement, completing the job in two years. That’s four semesters.Speed is not the name of the game in Murray High’s home-building program—unlike in the highly competitive world of construction. In class, “they learn how to do it right,” Mr. Perry said. Otherwise, they will pull it out and do it over, since “we have time, where in the industry you don’t have time.”
Mr. Perry imparts skills he gained from a construction management program at a local college and on job sites before he began teaching 28 years ago—he instructs in everything from framing to roofing, from hanging sheetrock to pouring concrete. For the students, fieldwork will go toward their continuing education.
“Approximately 75 percent of those kids will come out with the 18 hours in the current enrollment at the college,” he said, denoting the program’s collegiate partnership. “They’ll also receive a scholarship.”
One of the big reasons for the program’s success is support from both the local school district and the community. Developers in Murray offer discounted prices on lots, which helps score projects for the students to hone their skills on. They, likewise, clear a profit for the school district, which buys land and supplies and sells the house. All of the mutual interests have made this program viable.
“We just had final inspection yesterday for occupancy. It sold the very first day on the market for $725,000,” Mr. Perry told the newspaper. “I think our homes usually sell above appraisal.”
Houses On the Horizon
Some students find that outdoor construction isn’t their cup of tea, Mr. Perry admits. But they aren’t the majority. “I would say two-thirds [in the class] will be in the industry,” he said. The fact is, the school’s home-building program has helped many see education in a new light.While 79% of the Jobber survey participants said their parents encouraged them to enroll in college, a mere 5% were guided toward vocational training.
In a classroom or an office later in life, some young folks may never discover what they were born to do.
“Sometimes those talents in the academic world are not developed,” Mr. Perry said. “The cool thing about the construction world is there’s a place for everyone to be successful. We need managers, we need any skill set you can imagine.”
The home-building program has broadened horizons for many students at Murray High. One young lady had previously been accepted into a prestigious architectural firm before Mr. Perry’s program opened her eyes to her true passion. She subsequently switched to a construction management program instead.
“She’s running crews building 100 homes a year,” Mr. Perry said. “She’s a project manager for the company.” She didn’t want to be stuck in an office. Rather, she loved being onsite, working hands-on with something.
What other houses are on the horizon for the students at Murray High?
“We’re actually going to do a mini home to finish off the year,” Mr. Perry said. That will satisfy a commission for the city and be donated to provide temporary housing for the homeless in Salt Lake City.
