Oregon Opens Architecture, Construction and Engineering Academy

The OBC Academy for Architecture, Construction and Engineering (ACE), a public charter school in Portland, Oregon, opened its doors for the 2008-2009 school year and is currently serving its first junior class of 142 students. ACE is the result of a partnership between the Oregon Building Congress - the school-to-career arm for the construction industry in Oregon and southwestern Washington – and four local school districts. ACE is a shared-time program for high school students that is comprised of learners from the sponsoring school districts, neighboring high schools and home schools. ACE offers a math, science, English and technical skills curriculum in the design-build industry delivered in an integrated, hands-on setting. Industry partnerships are integral to students’ experiences at ACE. The ACE Academy has the capacity to enroll 250 juniors for the 2008-2009 school year and 500 juniors and seniors for the 2009-2010 school year. All students who have completed the requirements for entrance into grade 11 are eligible to apply for admission to the school. Faced with the cuts in public school programs and the rising demand for workers at all levels, and based upon OBC’s own involvement in educational programs for both teachers and students, OBC decided to take a serious look at opening its own charter school several years ago. Its board gave the go-ahead in the spring of 2006 to submit a proposal to the state of Oregon. This proposal was approved in May 2006. OBC partnered with four school districts as well as more than fifty industry partners to turn ACE from dream to reality. ACE, which is housed in the Willamette Carpenters Training Center, utilizes the training facilities of the Carpenters, the NECA-IBEW Electrical Training Center, the Northwest College of Construction, and the HVAC & Metals Institute. ACE receives support from many others in the industry, including Oregon-Columbia Chapter AGC and many of its members. Students graduating from ACE will be prepared to go directly to work, an apprenticeship program, or a two- or four-year college. AGC of America plans to hold its next Construction Career Academy Workshop in April 2009 in Portland, Oregon in order to showcase this new academy. Please keep watch in this newsletter for registration information.