Students learning to build a house, job skills while in school

The home partially built by students at M.E. LaZerte students on Wednesday Oct. 9, 2024. (Brandon Lynch/CTV News Edmonton)

M.E. LaZerte students got the chance to see the fruits of their labours Wednesday during the first year of a partnership with Homes by Avi.

This is the first year for the program in Edmonton, but the company has been working with Jack James High School in Calgary for over 25 years.

The program gives students the chance to get hands-on experience in the home building industry while in high school.

"Somebody's going to live in this house, someone's going to raise a family in this house and it's incredible that these kids did it," said Bered Amir, director of sponsorships and community engagement with Homes by Avi.

"It's important to teach these kids that there's careers outside of being a doctor, a lawyer, engineer, and you can have this wonderful career building things."

The company provides the school with the blueprints and materials for the build and employees work to support the students during construction at the school.

Once it's ready, it's brought to the home site and finished by the company. Once the house is sold, the proceeds go back to the school and they start again, according to Amir.

Construction started in July, with students working for two months to finish it.

"We put a lot of time and effort into this, and I think it turned out great," said Julia McCarthy, a Grade 12 M.E. LaZerte student.

"I never thought I'd do anything this monumental, just out of my free time. I tell people this and people don't believe me."

Learning about construction, teamwork and how to work on a job site, while in a school environment is something McCarthy appreciated.

The program is scheduled to happen again next year.