More than 800 Lee County high school students tried electrical, plumbing, HVAC and carpentry work at JetBlue Park on Oct. 22 at Lee BIA's Build My Future.

More than 800 high school students spent the morning of Thursday, Oct. 22, at JetBlue Park handling drills, torches and survey equipment as the Lee Building Industry Association held its sixth annual Build My Future careers event.

The Lee Building Industry Association, known as Lee BIA, ran the day with the School District of Lee County and the American Subcontractors Association of Southwest Florida. Local construction companies, tradespeople, educators and volunteers staffed the stations, the association said in a release on Oct. 30.

A student in an orange Build My Future shirt and work gloves holds a torch to copper pipe beside a smiling instructor next to an air conditioning unit.
A student uses a torch on copper pipe beside an air conditioning unit. Photo: supplied by the Lee Building Industry Association

Hands on, not a careers fair

Lee BIA describes the event as going “beyond a traditional career fair.” Students moved between interactive demonstrations and worked with industry tools and equipment, learning “directly from the professionals who help build our community,” the association said.

The trades on show ran “from electrical and plumbing to carpentry, HVAC, and other specialized trades,” according to the release, so students “experienced a variety of career paths firsthand.”

A worker in a high-visibility shirt shows a student in an orange Build My Future shirt how to use a surveying instrument on a yellow tripod.
A student looks through surveying equipment with a worker in high-visibility clothing. Photo: supplied by the Lee Building Industry Association

Students also heard about apprenticeships, technical education and routes into work, the association said, “including opportunities that do not require a traditional four-year college degree.”

Students in orange Build My Future shirts use a cordless drill to assemble small wooden projects at a table.
Students assemble small wooden projects with a cordless drill. Photo: supplied by the Lee Building Industry Association

Why the industry turns out

For the companies taking part, the event is a chance to “share their expertise, showcase their trades, and connect with students who could one day become part of their teams,” Lee BIA said.

“These interactions help bridge the gap between education and employment while encouraging young people to consider rewarding careers they may not have previously explored,” the release said.

A student in an orange shirt connects colored wires inside an electrical box at a table with wiring diagrams.
A student wires an electrical box at one of the hands-on stations. Photo: supplied by the Lee Building Industry Association

The association calls Build My Future “an important part of Lee BIA’s commitment to workforce development” and says that “with the continued demand for skilled professionals, introducing students to these opportunities is more important than ever.” The event was held during Careers in Construction Month.

A student in sunglasses and an orange shirt kneels to hold a torch to copper fittings on a training rig, with a coil of copper tubing on the floor.
A student works a torch on copper fittings, with a coil of copper tubing on the floor. Photo: supplied by the Lee Building Industry Association

The sponsors

Lee BIA listed these sponsors for the 2026 event:

  • Program sponsors: Fallsafe Walls and Ceilings and Wright Construction Group.
  • Master sponsor: Lee County BOCC Solid Waste.
  • Journeyman sponsors: Alair Homes, LCEC, Roof Right, Lee County DOT Operations, Lee County Utilities, The de Moya Group, Electrical Council of Florida, Sallee Promotions, Gulf Coast Nail & Staple, Siesta Pebble, Continental Infrastructure Group, Blue Arc Engineering, Inc., EHC Construction, Lee Drywall, Inc. and JR&CO.
  • Apprentice sponsors: Haley Ward, Inc., FGCU Stock Development Department of Construction Management, RDJ Construction, Island Piling, Inc., Summit Fire and Security and Waste Pro of Florida.
A student wearing a virtual reality headset stands in front of a screen showing a construction site, beside a man in a blue shirt at the Wright Construction Group stand.
A student tries a virtual reality headset at the Wright Construction Group stand. Photo: supplied by the Lee Building Industry Association

About Lee BIA

The Lee Building Industry Association is a not-for-profit trade organization representing the building industry in Lee, Hendry and Glades counties. It works on advocacy, education, networking and workforce development, according to the association. Its office is at 6835 International Center Blvd. in Fort Myers, and it can be reached at 239-936-5525 or through bia.net.

Two students in orange Build My Future shirts look at a computer screen showing a building systems control display while two men explain it.
Students look at a building controls display on a computer screen. Photo: supplied by the Lee Building Industry Association