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New high school will train students to enter trades after graduation

Students at Aspire Trade High School will get their diploma and a job opportunity upon graduation as leaders seek solutions to the trade worker shortage.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Construction is booming in the Charlotte area but there aren't enough workers to get all the jobs done. That's why a new high school is seeking solutions by training students to be ready for the workforce as soon as they graduate.

Charlotte is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country and the Queen City has the construction work to prove it. But there's just one big holdup: There aren't enough workers to keep projects on schedule. 

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"We have a major deficit in our workforce right now, especially in the Charlotte community," Chris Knight, the senior vice president of Samett Construction, said. 

The labor shortage is making construction work crawl at a snail's pace. 

"Projects are taking longer than they historically do," he said. "I think the overwhelming number of projects in the Charlotte area are really putting pressure on the trade community." 

Credit: WCNC Charlotte
Chris Knight, the senior vice president of Samett Construction

That's where another construction project, the Aspire Trade High School, enters the picture. The new school will identify students who are interested in construction or other trades and immediately start training them so they can fill vacancies. 

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"This is going to provide us an opportunity to reach out to young adults early, get them interested in construction, get them skilled up so when they come out they can go straight into the workforce," Aspire Carolinas Foundation executive director Jennifer Nichols said. 

Nichols said Aspire won't be just construction, either. It will prepare students for careers in medical data, culinary and other technical education fields, serving as a trade school for high school students. 

Students will start in ninth grade with an equal split of learning the standard curriculum and learning a trade as they earn their diplomas. Nichols says this program will be tailored for students who aren't considering college. 

"Not everyone has to go to college and these are hands-on kids," she said. 

The idea came from Jill Swain, the late Huntersville mayor who saw a need for trade workers. 

"They have all these corporations, industries that can't find skilled labor crying for skilled labor," Nichols said. "In an area where so much is going on in construction, the ones coming out are getting snatched up. There's just not enough skilled labor." 

Seniors will actually have on-site apprenticeships and a chance at a job as soon as they graduate. Knight and his team are excited about what the school means for the future. 

"The mission here is very strong," he said. "We want to partner with Aspire, not only to help build this project but also to facilitate growth of our upcoming generation of construction and trade workers." 

The school is set to open in August and it's still taking applications to fill the 500-plus spots. The construction company says in addition to finding more workers in general, they're looking to recruit more women to the field. 

Contact Michelle Boudin at mboudin@wcnc.com and follow her on FacebookTwitter and Instagram.

WCNC Charlotte is committed to reporting on the issues facing the communities we serve. We tell the stories of people working to solve persistent social problems. We examine how problems can be solved or addressed to improve the quality of life and make a positive difference. WCNC Charlotte is seeking solutions for you. Send your tips or questions to newstips@wcnc.com.

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