Atlanta Construction Companies Give Cobb Students Hands-On Experience in Building Careers

Dec. 8, 2011 - PRLog -- Atlanta’s Turner Construction and other local construction firms have recently expanded their ACE Mentor Program -- an effort to encourage high school students to explore careers in the design and construction industry -- into Cobb County for the 2011-2012 session.  Professionals in the construction, architecture and design fields mentor student teams, guiding them through weekly design projects, tours of major construction sites and visits to the offices of leading firms in the global building industry.

For the past six years this free extracurricular program has given Atlanta-area students the opportunity to examine every aspect of building as they compete for a scholarship prize.  The program is a prestigious one; the White House announced recently that Ace Mentor Program of America was a recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM), the nation’s highest award for mentoring.

Founded by the principals of leading design and construction firms, the ACE program engages, excites, and enlightens high school students to pursue careers in architecture, construction, and engineering.  Since its inception in 1994, the ACE Mentoring program has introduced more than 30,500 students to the industry through mentoring, scholarships, and grants.

In addition to Turner, Skanska USA, Holder Construction and Gilbane Building Company are also sponsors of the Atlanta program.

Cobb area students selected to participate include Chris Snider and Melodi Zhan-Moodie of Kennesaw Mountain High School, Dorian Morgan of Lovinggood Middle School, Victor Martinez and Gerald McQuade of North Cobb High School, Brandon McClendon of Oakwood High School, Ahijah Phillips of Riverwood Charter School, and Nicholas Johnson, a Johns Creek resident who attends Woodward Academy.

The Cobb Atlanta ACE Program will include:
•   College Day
•   Bridge Building session by Georgia Tech professors
•   Field trips to working construction sites around Atlanta
•   Sessions in landscape architecture and civil engineering
•   Preconstruction and Value Engineering
•   Design Critiques by local architects
•   ACE Mock Interviews

The program will culminate with the ACE Graduation Event in March 2012, where various awards and ACE scholarships will be presented. The metro program is one of several ACE programs Turner Construction supports across Georgia, including students from Atlanta Public Schools, DeKalb County, Cobb County and Rockdale County.  

Turner Construction, which is ranked as the #1 construction management firm in the nation by Engineering News Record, starts five ACE Mentor programs every year, donating $10,000 to each local initiative.

“The ACE program is supported nationwide by companies like Turner that are interested in workforce development efforts and eager to help the next generation learn about the career potential of the industry,” says Theresa Schroeder, Community Affairs Director for Turner Construction.

For more information, please visit www.acementor.org or contact Theresa Schroeder at (404) 504-3706.

About Turner Construction
Turner Construction provides building services to institutions that recognize the value of a partner who works diligently and creatively to find the best possible solution for each particular project.  With construction volume of $8.2 billion in 2009, Turner ranks first or second in major segments of the construction industry. Turner maintains a nationwide network of offices and a staff of more than 5,500 employees, performing work on over 1,600 projects each year. Turner's nationwide presence offers clients the accessibility and support of a local firm with the strength, stability and resources of a national corporation.