Immokalee students build homes, futures with BCB Homes

As Immokalee High School student Nereida sees it, she is not just helping build houses during her internship with BCB Homes; she is building her own future. 

Nereida is one of the 55 Immokalee High School students in The Immokalee Foundation’s Career Pathways Construction and Engineering Learning Lab who are gaining firsthand experience by helping build 18 homes in an Immokalee subdivision.  

As paid interns, the students work directly with contractors and subcontractors, including electricians and plumbers, who also get the opportunity to evaluate the students’ skills and potential as future project managers. 

And with demand for construction trades high in Southwest Florida as the region’s population continues to grow, it’s never too early for students to prepare for jobs that can be well paid, with or without a college degree. 

For Nereida — who wants to pursue a degree in construction management after she graduates — the program offers an opportunity to learn about many different areas of the building trade, something she knows will be valuable in the future. 

“I would be installing cabinet hardware or painting walls or painting doors, adding texture to walls or measuring around the home,” she said during a recent phone interview. “I was taught a little bit of everything, which really grabbed my attention because it wasn’t like they [the contractors] were just giving us something to do; they took the time to teach us.” 

The value of teamwork 

Nereida is in her second year with the program, and she said another benefit was learning the value of teamwork. 

“If someone needed help, then we would help each other,” she recalled. “The experience helps with being able to collaborate together, no matter if you’re painting or installing the hardware: You come together to build a beautiful home.” 

Nereida said she is proud to be part of a team effort that can help improve the community of Immokalee and provide a better quality of life for residents. 

One of her Learning Lab colleagues, Jonathan, also said teamwork was an important part of the project for him, as the students worked on areas including electrical, painting, insulation and HVAC installation. 

Jonathan, who also wants to pursue a degree in construction management, has been involved with the Career Pathways program since junior high, and he said the opportunity presented by the Immokalee Foundation program has helped him make big decisions about his future. 

“I got interested because it’s a good experience and I wanted to see if that was what I really wanted to do, and the Learning Lab has helped me see that this really is what I will do,” he said. 

Building homes for the Immokalee community 

With funding from Collier Enterprises and The Ray Foundation, The Immokalee Foundation has partnered with Naples-based BCB Homes and Immokalee Technical College on the project, which is being built on 8 acres of donated land. Twelve homes already have been completed and sold, according to Foundation President and CEO Noemi Perez; she estimates it will take another two years to finish the remaining homes.  

The project offers students experience in all aspects of residential construction and prepares them for either college or going straight into the workforce. 

“The students are able to have real hands-on exposure,” Perez said. “Through their internship, they’re working alongside subcontractors, who now get to see whether a student could be a potential employee.”  

Everyone is recognizing that this investment benefits them, she said, because these students may help fill high-demand positions in the future. 

It’s not just about the construction, either. As part of the Learning Lab, students also learn about land development, marketing and sales. The completed homes are sold at market rate to help fund construction of additional homes, according to the Foundation. 

Walt Buccholtz, Career Pathways strategist for The Immokalee Foundation, said Learning Lab students graduate with necessary certifications if they want to go straight into the workforce, but also with the “soft skills” valued by employers. 

“When they leave the program, they can go straight into the trades workforce because they’ve earned their Occupational Health and Safety Administration certification, which they need to be able to get on a worksite,” Buccholtz said. “They have also earned a National Center for Construction Education and Research certificate. 

“So, they basically have the book knowledge and also the hands-on experience in all aspects of building a home, but the more important thing is they learn work ethic and the soft skills of how to be effective in the workplace: How to dress for work, how to show up on time, how to talk on the phone, how to do an interview.” 

A path to financial independence 

The Career Pathways program launched in 2019 after The Immokalee Foundation, using data from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, identified career tracks in Southwest Florida that offer strong growth and opportunity, often without requiring a four-year degree. 

In addition to construction and engineering, Pathways includes business management and entrepreneurship; education and human services; and health care.  

Since its inception, the program has served more than 3,300 students. Dozens of local employers — including the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, Naples Comprehensive Health, Healthcare Network, Artis—Naples, The Naples Players, Arthrex, MHK Architecture and Ave Maria Utility Company — have provided internships and paths to industry certifications. Businesses also offer mentoring, guest lectures, career panels, networking events and field trips.