Students from Portland Public Schools and the David Douglas School District are donning hard hats this summer to explore careers in construction through hands-on learning.

Construction is booming in the Portland region, and job opportunities are plentiful. One primary goal of S.P.A.C.E. (which stands for Summer Programs in Air, Carpentry & Electric) is to educate students about well-paying careers in the skilled trades and construction management, while helping them develop skills and aspirations.

The two-week mentorship program for high school students, which wraps up this week, follows a one-week mentorship program in June for about two dozen middle school students. Students are working on projects with mentors in the trades, and they’re hearing directly from professionals in the field about getting started.

Check out some of the student activities in the below photo gallery, and visit the official S.P.A.C.E. website to learn more. Kudos to the CTE team at PPS for their leadership, and special thanks to all volunteers and employer partners.

Led by: Portland Public Schools and the David Douglas School District

Funded by: CTE grant from the Oregon Department of Education

Supported by: Many industry & community partners including the Pacific Northwest Carpenters Institute, P&C Construction, IBEW, the Oregon-Columbia chapter of Associated General Contractors, SMACNA (the association representing sheet metal and air conditioning contractors), and the nonprofit Portland Workforce Alliance.