Aurora Public Schools program helps students turn construction into career

A program at Aurora Public Schools is helping students discover new careers and get hands-on experience to build their futures.

When Jaycen Harvell first stepped into a construction class at Vista Peak Preparatory, he had never considered making a career out of the industry. That changed quickly.

"Once I got there, I was like, 'Hold up! This is actually a lot of fun,'" Harvell said.

Harvell, 18, recently graduated from Vista Peak Preparatory, where he participated in ConstrucTECH, a career-connected learning program that introduces students to different areas of the construction industry through classroom instruction, hands-on projects and opportunities to work with industry professionals.

Students learn the basics of construction safety and tools before moving into areas including construction management and estimating.  They can also pursue internships and apprenticeships or continue their education toward an associate's degree in construction management through the Community College of Aurora.

Harvell said the variety is part of what drew him to it.

"With construction, there's so many different aspects," he said. "From electrical to HVAC and commercial and housing and all different types of things that go into a project."

ConstrucTECH instructor Jim Prager said the program's hands-on nature gives students room to learn through experience.

"Kids can really thrive in a situation where they get to practice, they get to make mistakes, they get to practice again," Prager said.

For Harvell, the lessons extended beyond learning how to use tools. Prager helped him develop professional skills and eventually prepare for opportunities outside the classroom.

"He's taught me so many things besides just how to swing a hammer," Harvell said. "He's taught me how to be a professional, how to be a good man."

The Aurora Public Schools Foundation supports career-connected learning programs and helps connect students and educators with industry partners.

"They've been instrumental about connecting the dots with us, with partners, and then again with kids with some opportunities," Prager said.

One of those connections was with Flintco, a commercial construction company. Harvell was selected for an internship with the company while he was still in high school.

He got up at 5 a.m. on internship days, headed to a construction site then returned to Vista Peak for school. Harvell worked on Flintco's renovation of the Arvada Library, gaining real-world experience on an active construction site.

"Jaycen is an extraordinary young man," Flintco Construction Director Dave Kenney said. "From day one, when he walked into our office, he presented himself very respectfully. He was on time, eager to learn and find out what he could do to become a carpenter and maybe a future leader in the industry."

The internship ultimately led to a job offer and plans for Harvell to enter a carpentry apprenticeship.

His mother, Janeen Harvell, remembers her son coming home one day and casually delivering the news.

"He gets off the phone, he said, 'Well, they just offered me a job for this summer,'" she recalled.

She teared up during an interview with CBS Colorado. 

"It's like, 'Oh, you chose my baby. You chose my kid,'" she said. "I know how awesome he is, and it just shows me that that's being appreciated. His hard work is paying off."

Janeen Harvell said her son has always been curious and willing to try new things. Growing up, he played sports, taught himself to play guitar and learned to snowboard. She remembers him constantly building things or taking things apart.

Jaycen Harvell also plans to continue his education. He said he is one semester away from completing his associate's degree while beginning his apprenticeship.

For Prager, Jaycen Harvell's experience shows why exposing students to different career possibilities before they leave high school can matter.

For Jaycen Harvell, the possibilities are already getting bigger.

"Ten years from now? Like, general contractor, maybe even higher, superintendent," he said. "I have high hopes for myself. I want to be signing some papers."

It's a future he said he never expected to have mapped out so early.

"I don't think I would have expected me to be in the position I am right now," Jaycen Harvell said. "I'm incredibly blessed."