CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OH - On June 4 Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish announced new initiatives aimed at training people for good paying jobs in the building trades, while focusing on minorities. Pending County Council approval of a new collective bargaining agreement, the County, in partnership with Cleveland Builds, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping candidates find opportunities in construction, will provide pre-employment education and training for electricians, carpenters, plumbers, and other building trades.

More than 150 CEA members and guests gathered at the Hill ‘n Dale Club in Medina and raised $50,000 in support of Cleveland Builds Thursday, May 6th. This clay-shooting event was conceived of by Brian Exl, who is the Cleveland General Manager for OCP Contractors, and Tim Linville. OCP also served as the presenting sponsor for the event. The success of this event was due to all sponsors and CEA staff, especially CEA’s Coordinator of Education and Programs, Courtney Smyser.  

Constructor Magazine

By Rhonda Crowder

A program supported by Construction Employers Association (CEA), for the last 13 years, The ACE Mentoring Program - Cleveland has worked to expose school students to careers in the Architecture, Construction and Engineering industry, including skilled trades.  

But, most recently, their Career Pathway Committee decided to make the latter more of a priority. 

The global pandemic has changed the way we live and work and the ACE Mentor Program is no different.

By Zachary Phillips, Construction Dive

Generation Z’s perception of construction is evolving, but there’s still a lot more contractors could do to attract the next generation of workers, according to three Gen Zers interviewed on Associated General Contractors of America’s ConstructorCast.

"I’m usually shy when it comes to communicating. My experience through ACE and advice from my mentors taught me to be more confident on the job site, speak well, and present myself confidently. Now, with so many job experiences it keeps getting easier as time goes on.” 

Cesar isn’t due to graduate until 2021 from Kent State University but he already has six internships under his belt, setting him apart from the competition.

We are excited to announce that we are kicking off the school year with our first ever ACE Day of Action! Join the ACE Cleveland affiliate on August 25, 2020 as we celebrate all things ACE and make our big push for ACE Day of Action for the 2020-2021 school year. We all know that this year will be different for many of us, but ACE Cleveland is remains committed to serving students and guiding them towards a career path that they love. 

There are so many ways to support ACE Cleveland: 

Congratulations to our students, thank you to our teachers, mentors, volunteers, parents, and donors. Your support of these students has a direct impact on not only their future, but the future of our communities. To date, the ACE Cleveland program has gifted over $1 million in scholarships.