Education Foundation Heads Back to School

Date Posted: August 9, 2016

Posted In: News, Organizations, Workforce,

Volunteers from the Construction Forum Education Foundation are connecting with area children throughout the region at back to school events. This past weekend volunteers from the Foundation participated in events at Ferguson/Florissant, Jennings, Riverview Gardens, and Normandy. This was CFEF’s second year at the  Normandy event, “Beyond the Backpack,” which is produced by Beyond Housing.

Cathy Cook, welding coordinator for the Carpenters joint training fund program, instructs a student on the virtual welding machine at Belleville Back 2 School event.

On Aug. 2 CFEF appeared at Belleville Area Schools Back 2 School Fun Fair and University City Back-to-School Rally.

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This coming weekend CFEF volunteers will appear at the St. Louis Public Schools Back to School Festival at the Chaifetz Arena, the Community Cuts for Kids event at the SIUE center in East St. Louis and the Community Cuts for Kids North St. Louis event at the O’Fallon Park YMCA.

“Craft Cards,” a new tool developed by Construction Forum STL, CFEF, and the region’s trade unions, premiered at last weekend’s events. The cards look like sports cards, except that each one features a particular craft trade. On one side of the card is a photo of a young worker. On the reverse side is the annual base wage of that trade, a description of the work a craftsperson in that trade performs, training and education requirements, and contact information.

The cards are being funded by contributions from trade unions. Last week, cards from the Carpenters, Laborers, and Sheet Metal Workers were released. Three more cards are currently in the works, and other trades have expressed interest.