KHS&S Promotes Trade Skills Through 2024-2025 School Partnership

As students and teachers across the country start a new school year, KHS&S is gearing up for classes as well. For the past five years, KHS&S has partnered with public school programs to help teach commercial construction skills to young men and women. The start of the 2024-2025 school year brings new opportunities to teach students marketable construction skills while helping shape the next generation of builders.

KHS&S school partnerships started when Erik Santiago, then KHS&S senior vice president and Kyle Thompson, a then Middleton High School construction technologies teacher, connected over the years at industry events. KHS&S began donating construction materials for use in the classroom. Then the company began providing course instruction led by KHS&S team members. 

Over a multi-week program, students learn the core skills for commercial construction including organizing workstations, teamwork, framing, drywall, plastering and cutting metal studs. Important safety techniques, a hallmark of KHS&S’ reputation, are taught including certifications and job site requirements.

“It’s not just about preparing the students for jobs as laborers,” said Santiago, who became president of KHS&S in 2020. “We help explain how these skills are an entry path to a career.” 

KHS&S’ Jess Robinson, senior vice president, and DJ Smith, general superintendent and Lean specialist, facilitate KHS&S’s involvement with Thompson, who currently is providing instruction through Hillsborough County Schools’ Erwin Technical College Carpentry program

“We’ve put a lot of energy into the program, and it’s rewarding to see students make the connection between what they’re learning in class and the potential for a career,” said Robinson.  “We’re looking forward to another year of building bright futures together.”