Members of the Home Builders Association Grand Traverse Area bestowed $7,700 worth of scholarships on eight students Monday evening at the Waterfront Conference Center.
An association scholarship committee chose the 2006 winners based on criteria including field of study, grade point average, area residency and community involvement. The 15 scholarships available were divided among five categories: Education, Home-In-A-Day, Remodelors Council, Women's Council and Student Chapter.
Approximately $6,700 of the funds granted will be used next fall by students in Northwestern Michigan College's M-TEC program. This program offers training in plumbing, heating and cooling, masonry, carpentry, electrical and advance energy technology.
The annual scholarship program allows the Home Builders Association to acknowledge and assist students studying a trade. The organization includes builders and other construction industry professionals in the Grand Traverse, Benzie, Antrim, Leelanau and Kalkaska counties.
"The number one problem in our field right now is to find people to come into the trades — there are wonderful livings to be made in the trades," said Scott Duensing, a local builder and a member of the scholarship committee.
The scholarship committee sifted through 25-30 applications, which were kept anonymous during the vetting.
"It was a difficult decision selecting the winners," noted Duensing.
Chris Abshire, a 2000 graduate of Traverse City High School, is completing his second year in Northwestern Michigan College's M-TEC heating and cooling program. He hopes to pursue advanced studies in alternative energy and within ten years to have his own business.
Abshire, who like his classmates works full time in his trade during the day and attends classes one night a week, won two scholarships totaling $1,100. These funds will provide a boost next fall.
"It means a lot to me," said Abshire. "I have a family and the local economy the way it is, the money helps a lot for me to be able to continue my studies in the trade."
"The Home Builders Association offers great support for the trades," he added.
Recipient Chad Deville is moving into the heating and cooling trade as a career change and also envisions owning his own business one day. He won a $500 Education Scholarship and will use the money next fall during his second year in NMC's M-TEC program.
"I was trying to find a job that I would enjoy doing and would make a decent living and support a family," noted Deville of his new direction. "I knew the trades were my kind of thing, I'm a hands-on kind of person."
Steve Morse, coordinator of construction technology for Northwestern Michigan College, gave Home Builders Association members an overview of the M-TEC program during the meeting. Noting strong growth in enrollment as well as increased depth and breadth of the classes in each trade, Morse thanked the association for its assistance. Since 1998, members have donated $160,000 for supplies and scholarships.
"We greatly appreciate your support, it's been phenomenal," he said, adding of M-TEC's 30 percent enrollment increase this year: "We wouldn't have this kind of growth without you all out there talking about it and hiring the students we train."