She Built This City

At She Built This City (SBTC), Fiscal Year 2025 has been a transformative year filled with programmatic innovation, increased reach, and deeper community impact. Through both Pre-Apprenticeship-specific improvements and bold, organization-wide initiatives, SBTC has furthered its mission of creating equitable access to construction careers while fostering leadership, empowerment, and workforce readiness. Fall 2024 Innovations Pre-Apprenticeship Program Highlights: Heavy Equipment Training Exposure: Pre-Apprenticeship participants visited Carolina CAT, where they operated heavy machinery under supervision. This hands-on training was resume-building and enhanced exposure to specialized trade equipment often overlooked in traditional workforce prep. Community Impact Build Day: Students contributed to a community project by building and donating tables to a local church and community center, providing a tangible impact while practicing real-world carpentry skills. Bilingual Financial Literacy Access: SBTC expanded its reach through culturally relevant financial educationhosting Spanish-language sessions with Truist Bank and English-language sessions with Truliant Bank. This ensured all participants had equitable access to critical personal finance knowledge. Holistic Support for Spanish Speakers: Spanish-speaking students also received presentations about community resource navigation, including access to legal services and support for tax preparationensuring that workforce training is embedded within a full wraparound support system. Org-Wide Innovations: Launched "A Seat at the Table" (ASAT) Program: SBTC piloted this week-long, immersive leadership and construction experience for middle and high school girls. Inspired by Shirley Chisholms words, "If they dont give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair," each participant literally built a chair while metaphorically building their voice and leadership in male-dominated spaces. The program combined carpentry, entrepreneurship (via Stiletto Boss University), and self-expression through art (in collaboration with UNC Charlotte). With only 4% of construction jobs in NC held by women, and 94% of youth reporting no interest in trades due to lack of exposure, ASAT tackled the problem at its rootproviding access, inspiration, and tangible skills. Winter 2025 Innovations Pre-Apprenticeship Program Highlights: Curriculum Modernization: SBTC realigned its curriculum sequence to follow the actual building process more closely, allowing for a better understanding of construction flow. New modules like installing electrical outlets into drywall were also introduced, providing in-demand, practical skills. Expanded Build Simulations: The carpentry build day was revamped to serve multiple organizations and conducted across two simulation sitesmaximizing outreach and student application of skills. Improved Recruitment and Tracking: New candidate acceptance rubrics and integration of CMR Monkeypod streamlined the application process and strengthened data tracking. Enhanced Barrier Removal: SBTC refined its approach to support services to ensure alignment with key outcomes: enrollment, graduation, and employment. Worksite Immersion Shifted to Weekdays: To increase value and engagement, site visits were moved to weekdays to ensure students could observe active job sitesa challenge previously encountered with weekend tours. Career and Leadership Enrichment: Students earned class credit for attending the Mecklenburg County Career Fair, built leadership skills through Outward Bounds team-building programs, and gained inspiration at the 2025 Changemakers Conference, where they heard from Pre-Apprenticeship alumni now enrolled in apprenticeships. Alumni Engagement: A dedicated Alumni Cookout and Resource Fair helped SBTC maintain community, build mentorship, and offer continued support for graduates. Org-Wide Innovations: YITT Club Expansion: Year two of the Young In The Trades (YITT) club at Albemarle Road Middle School was completed with great success. The club, offering 57 sessions depending on the semester, provides students exposure to trade skills like safety, PPE, plumbing, electrical, and carpentry. This semesters community projectplanter boxes for the schoolshowcased student craftsmanship while beautifying school grounds. First Generation Builders Program: In partnership with UNC Charlotte College of Arts + Architecture, SBTC launched this creative and empowering one-week workshop for middle school girls. Students built carpentry projects, toured UNCC school of art and architecture, designed ceramic tiles, and created mosaic tabletops, culminating in a celebratory showcase for families and community leaders. They were also exposed to trade specific technology including CNC machines, and 3D printers. Entrepreneurship Academy Launch: SBTC launched its Entrepreneurship Academy, equipping participants with the tools and mindset needed to pursue business ownership within the trades. Charlotte Chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace: SBTC proudly launched and operates the Charlotte Chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP)a national nonprofit that builds and donates beds to children sleeping in unsafe conditions. This effort has already brought tangible impact to families and expanded volunteer opportunities across our network. Closing Reflection FY25 has been a year of scale, depth, and intentional innovation. From shifting curriculum to mirror the building industry, to empowering the next generation through ASAT and First Generation Builders, SBTC has deepened its role not only as a workforce development leader but as a community-builder and change agent. These innovations reflect our unwavering commitment to equity, excellence, and expanding pathways to the skilled tradesespecially for women, youth, and underrepresented communities. We look forward to building on this momentum and welcome continued partnership as we grow the impact of She Built This City