Welcome to our new blog where we can discuss our work inside BLUE Enterprises as a non-profit for the construction trades! I am excited to begin this journey with you. Our first efforts at transformation within the construction trades will be in Jefferson County, KY and in late 2023 we will begin looking at other markets for expansion. Our non-profit, employer-led organization, BLUE, LCC, also known as a part of the BLUE Enterprises organization, was founded in March 2022 and is focused on training youth, filling skills gaps, and opening up real world environments through basic entry level training in trade areas of HVAC, electrical work, and construction/home repair. BLUE, LLC stands for Building Louisville Untapped Entrepreneurs.

There is no doubt that today’s students leaving high school and various level of college entering the labor market can be a challenging task, fighting for a bright future and demanding employment that pays what you aspire to take home.  The need levels are extremely high nationwide and in KY for the construction-related trades from carpentry, to HVAC to plumbing to even handymen.  And, as our students today look at taking on a construction trade, we are there to encourage them to get trained and understand financial markets to begin to explore buying a home, and later flipping homes or participating in commercial real estate investment  These steps to success come with proper education, on-the-job training, and a high-level of mentorship.  Through BLUE, it is my desire to make a difference in the lives of the next generations, encouraging them to work in their teens and begin to build a stable, productive future in a growth industry. 

 Consider these statistics:

The construction industry will need to attract nearly 650,000 additional workers on top of the normal hiring pace in 2022 to meet the demand for labor, according to a model developed by the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). ( https://www.abc.org/News-Media/News-Releases/entryid/19255/abc-construction-industry-faces-workforce-shortage-of-650-000-in-2022 )

New projects resulting from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will begin in the second half of 2022 and continue throughout 2023, with expected growth rates of 20.1% and 10.9% for infrastructure put in place in 2022 and 2023, respectively, according to Oxford Economics. ( https://rsmus.com/insights/industries/construction/construction-outlook.html )

 If you are a potential participant in our programs….

Whether you’ve just left high school, the military, or completed some college, or even lost your job or are just thinking about a career change, we’ve got program frameworks that can set up on a new pathway to freedom through proper employment and a life-long passion for building and construction.

Accelerated training and expanded learning are integral to taking the appropriate steps forward for many individuals seeking new challenges in their employment trade opportunities.  We are offering opportunities through our new 12-week project, called How to Become a Handyman, for classroom learning and on-the-job training with our partner, Richard Adams Properties.  The first cohort is anticipated to begin in the Fall of 2022.  Please inquire here to learn more. We are looking for those aged 17-25 interested in participating to learn the construction trade for a possible career. 

If you are a construction company or union supporting programs like ours…

We want you to consider alliances and partnership that can employ more, pulling qualified candidates properly educated and mentored in the construction-related trade. You and your team can get involved in teaching programs, mentorship, employing our program participants on-the-job, or making a meaningful donation at $10,000 or above.  With you as one of our contributors, this program allows for a 6-to-1 ratio of working professionals to youth on a true job site, a residential home that is being prepared to be “flipped” by Blue 52 Properties.  The program also allows for payments to the mentors and the selected on-the-job students in the class for a period of 3 weeks/2 days a week. 

We are happy to make a presentation online, so that you or your team can learn more!  Please feel free to suggest grant opportunities or sponsorship approaches, as we are open to new possibilities!

We want this to be your go-to construction workforce development approach in whatever market you serve!  Contact us at BLUE!

All the best, Richard Adams
Executive Director, BLUE LLC
& President, Blue52 Properties