Detroit marked National Apprenticeship Day by celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Sachse Construction Academy, an initiative aimed at introducing high school students to skilled trades. Held at The Preserve on Ash in North Corktown, the event provided 75 Detroit students with hands-on construction experience guided by veterans from various trades on an active job site.
The event was a collaboration between Sachse Construction, Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan, The Community Builders, the City of Detroit, and Carhartt. "Over the last decade, our mission has remained the same: to connect Detroit's youth with meaningful opportunities in the skilled trades and help build the city’s future workforce," said Todd Sachse, CEO of Sachse Construction, in a statement to detroitmi.gov.
Mayor Mike Duggan also emphasized the importance of skilled trades in Detroit's future. "The skilled trades are essential to the future of Detroit, and we are committed to providing our youth with opportunities that will help them build successful careers and contribute to the city's growth and revitalization," he said in a City of Detroit release.
Patricia Beldon, Executive Vice President of The Community Builders, commented on the value of linking development with workforce opportunities. "This event is a model for how we can connect real estate development with real workforce opportunity, right in the neighborhoods that need it most," she said in the same release.
Jason Lee, CEO of Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan, emphasized that hands-on learning helps students see themselves in skilled trade careers, which is important for reducing opportunity gaps.
Since its start, the Sachse Construction Academy has engaged over 5,500 Detroit high school students in its programs.
