FRONT PORCH

LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. (February 24, 2025) – Having the right tools is one of the most important necessities for workers in the construction trades, so for students training to work in those trades that need is even more urgent.  A recent $11,000 donation from Neal Communities to support Sarasota’s Riverview High School Construction Academy will make an enormous impact, according to students and staff alike.

From buckets to belt sanders, routers to drywall tape, Neal’s donation helped fill the supply closets at the Construction Academy.

“Having the right tools and materials enhances learning by increasing engagement, improving understanding, and supporting different learning styles,” says 17-year-old Allison Newcomb, an 11^th grade student in the Construction Academy. “It fosters critical

thinking, boosts confidence, and ensures equal opportunities for all students. Additionally, access to modern resources prepares learners for real-world applications and future careers.”  Newcomb is planning a career as a welder, inspired by her uncle, father and grandfather.

One of the nation’s most pressing employment needs is in the construction industry as it is estimated that it will need to attract an estimated 501,000 additional workers on top of the normal pace of hiring in 2024 to meet the demand for labor. This is according to a proprietary model developed by Associated Builders and Contractors. In 2025, the industry will need to bring in nearly 454,000 new workers on top of normal hiring to meet industry demand, and that’s presuming that construction spending growth slows significantly this year. The report also indicated the industry’s average age of retirement is 61, and more than 1 in 5 workers are currently older than 55.  In the state of Florida, the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) reports that 79 percent of Florida construction companies are having trouble filling positions.

“If this were like any class, I would not learn any actual skills by just doing stuff on computers,” says Atticus Helbig, a senior at Riverview who hopes to pursue a career framing in residential construction.  “With the addition of power tools, lumber concrete and wires I was able to have a hands-on experience with framing, electrical and a little bit of masonry with cement mixing.”

The construction industry must be more creative in where it finds the workers of tomorrow which is one reason that the Riverview Construction Academy was born, providing fast-growing funnel for construction and trade workers is straight out of high school. Riverview’s Construction Academy is designed to prepare high school students for a career in the building industry.

Neal Communities, Southwest Florida’s premier local homebuilder, has supported the Construction Academy since Day One, donating more than $60,000 to the Academy, including a recent $11,300 donation that went toward purchasing supplies needed to give students the kind of real-world training necessary.

“Neal Communities has been an incredible partner in helping us grow our Construction Academy,” says Josh Grant, assistant principal at Riverview High School. “Their generous donation has provided our students the ability to learn and train with industry-standard equipment. Students have used the equipment on several school-based projects, including a build of a new obstacle course for our JROTC program. Neal has also provided field trip opportunities and soft-skill trainings that helps give our student’s the tools and ability to successfully graduate from the program with the technical and professional abilities to obtain gainful employment. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Neal as we grow the Construction Academy at RHS.”

Landon Hissing, a senior at Riverview says he has always had an interest in construction. His father is an executive at one of the biggest construction companies in Las Vegas and Landon plans on joining him there after graduation.  “This class is my favorite class out of my four years of high school,” he says. “We have so many different materials and most of the tools we need to learn all the different trades and learn the basics of all of them.”

The Neal Communities donation was spearheaded by Charlene Neal, president of Charlene Neal PureStyle, a partner company of Neal Communities, and who is an alumnus of Riverview High School. In addition, Neal Communities is providing staff resources to assist with the program, from guest speakers and field trip opportunities to internships. The Construction Academy incorporates a curriculum from the National Center of Construction Education and Research, along with providing hands-on experience for students.