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Union Public Schools
Our mission is to graduate 100 percent of our students, college and career ready.

Construction

Creating Career Pathways to a Future in Construction

Union Construction logo featuring various tools in a circle
Union construction students around a table, working on a lamp wiring project

 

Building Your Future

In keeping with its mission of “100 percent graduation, college and career ready,” Union is committed to providing students with career exploration opportunities prior to making lifechanging decisions. We also understand the importance of engagement and connection for our students, recognizing that there are alternate pathways to success in school and life.

“Union’s construction program is all about giving students hands-on learning opportunities that help them make informed decisions about their future,” said Dr. Kenneth Moore, executive director of Secondary Education at Union Public Schools. “This is a great way for them to safely explore careers in construction, HVAC and electrical and earn industry certifications along the way.”

Union student looking at construction ruler

 

Join A Growing Industry

  • New workers needed: The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) projects the need to attract 439,000 net new construction workers in 2025, rising to 499,000 in 2026 to meet demand. Average hourly earnings throughout the industry are up 4.4% over the past 12 months, significantly outpacing earnings growth across all industries.
  • Annual hiring demand: An estimated 723,000 new hires per year are needed to sustain growth to reduce the nation’s housing deficit of 1.5 million homes, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
  • There are currently 8.3 million payroll construction workers in the U.S. Of those, 3.4 million work in residential construction.*
  • In Oklahoma, there are 61 available workers for every 100 construction job openings, a sign of a tight labor market. (Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce).
  • Job growth: Construction employment in Oklahoma grew by 3.4 percent from May 2024 to May 2025, higher than other sectors except for education and health services (Source: The Journal Record).
  • Women make up a growing share of construction employment, reaching 10.8 percent in 2023, up significantly from 9.1 percent in 2017.
  • Persistent hiring difficulty: More than 90 percent of contractors report difficulties filling both hourly and salaried roles, up from 80% the previous year.ꝉ
  • An 11 percent increase in U.S. electrician demand by 2033 is projected (about 80,000 annual openings).**
  • The HVAC industry faces a technician shortage of more than 30 percent, with estimates suggesting 150,000 new technicians needed by 2028 (source: Gitnux Market Data).

*National Association of Home Builders
**Bureau of Labor Statistics
ꝉ ConstructConnect

Blueprint For Success

Tulsa, like many communities, has a substantial portion of construction workers who are nearing retirement age, and fewer younger workers entering the trades. In response to local industry demand and a lack of skilled workers, Union launched its first construction class in the 2020 fall semester with the help of the Hardesty Family Foundation and the Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa.

The Intro to Construction class (now called “Construction 1”), served as an introduction to the residential and construction industry and associated trades. Using a blended learning approach, students participated in hands-on experiences, field trips, presentations by industry professionals and classroom work. Until this program, most of our students were unaware of the many opportunities in the field.

From those humble beginnings, Union’s construction program has grown from 91 students in the first year to 365 in 2025. More than 20 percent of the students are female and 33 percent English Learners. In addition to Construction 1, the program offerings have grown to include Construction 2, as well as courses offered by Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology (OSUIT) specializing in electrical and air conditioning and refrigeration. So far, students have earned 68 industry certifications in six areas. Students participating in the program have also demonstrated significantly better attendance rates than peers in the general school population, which is a measure of engagement.

Purpose of the program: To provide career exploration opportunities and pathways to potential jobs in construction and related industries.  To introduce students to a variety of construction related trades and provide hands on experiences and training in the broad field of construction.

construction students standing in trailer made for Girl Scouts.

 

Electrical and HVAC Courses

In September 2024, Union partnered with OSUIT to expand program offerings to include coursework on electrical construction and air conditioning/refrigeration.

Students in both programs can earn up to 15 college credit hours concurrently as well as industry-recognized credentials along the way. Courses are taught on campus at Union’s Innovation Lab by qualified instructors from OSUIT with the appropriate industry training, certifications and experience. The courses and related textbooks, tools and materials are provided at no additional cost to Union students, thanks to the generous support of the Hardesty Family Foundation.

Both the electrical and air conditioning/refrigeration programs are double-block courses taught over one school year (two hours per day, five days a week) and are open to qualified juniors and seniors. The curriculum is supplemented with other training and experiences (i.e., guest speakers, field trips and possible on-the-job training). Those who complete the program will have earned up to 15 of the 88 hours required to earn an applied associate’s degree from OSUIT in Okmulgee.

Union construction teachers works with students on a project

 

Union Construction Program Partners

  • Amazon
  • Burnett Home Improvement
  • Crossland
  • Dewberry Architects
  • EPIC Homes
  • Fleming Construction Group
  • Flintco
  • Hardesty Family Foundation
  • Hilti
  • Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa
  • Key Construction
  • Mill Creek Lumber
  • Miller Tippins Construction
  • Nabholz
  • OSU-IT
  • Paul Davis Restoration
  • Phoenix Restoration
  • Professional Women Builders Association
  • Sanford and Irene Burnstein Foundation
  • Tulsa Home Builders Association
  • Wallace Design

 

Union Construction Program Course Descriptions

CONSTRUCTION 1  

Grade Levels: 9, 10, 11, and 12     4 pt. class     

Prerequisite: None

An introduction to the commercial and residential construction industry and associated trades. Students explore opportunities in the field of construction through a blended learning approach including hands-on experiences, field trips, presentations by industry professionals and classroom work. 

CONSTRUCTION 2  

Grade Levels: 10, 11, and 12     4 pt. class     

Prerequisite: Construction 1

This course is a continuation of the Construction 1 Course.  Students will work on more difficult construction projects and other related construction services such as civil engineering, drafting and design. Students will be required to enroll in one virtual learning course in another subject to be considered for enrollment.

ELECTRICAL CONSTRUCTION

Grade Levels: 10, 11, and 12     5 pt. class     

Prerequisite: None

Description: This is a non-credit high school training program designed and delivered in partnership with OSU Institute of Technology. The program's core curriculum includes safety instruction and the development of critical technical skills that will qualify students for immediate employment in the construction industry.

Micro-Credentials and Digital Badges: Students who successfully complete the program curriculum and demonstrate proficiency requirements can earn OSUIT micro-credentials recognized and approved by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE).

Degree Pathway: This program provides a pathway to degree completion through OSUIT's AAS in Electrical Construction Technologies. Qualified students who successfully complete the program’s OSUIT micro-credential requirements can receive up to 15 hours of college credit via prior learning assessment.

INTRODUCTION TO AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION  

Grade Levels: 10, 11, and 12     5 pt. class     

Prerequisite: None

Description: This is a non-credit high school training program designed and delivered in partnership with OSU Institute of Technology. The program's core curriculum includes safety instruction and the development of critical technical skills that will qualify students for immediate employment in the construction industry.

Micro-Credentials and Digital Badges: Students who successfully complete the program curriculum and demonstrate proficiency requirements can earn OSUIT micro-credentials recognized and approved by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE).

Degree Pathway: This program provides a pathway to degree completion through OSUIT's AAS in Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Technology. Qualified students who successfully complete the program’s OSUIT micro-credential requirements can receive up to 14 hours of college credit via prior learning assessment.

"Construction is a language the Hardesty family understands deeply. We recognize the vital role that workforce development and living wages play in building a thriving community. We are committed to providing opportunities that empower our citizens, fostering an environment where everyone in Tulsa can build self-esteem, support their families, and contribute to a vibrant and prosperous city." -- Michelle Hardesty, executive director, Hardesty Family Foundation

Contact

For information about potential partnerships with Union’s Construction program, please contact:

Dr. Kenneth Moore
Executive Director of Secondary Education
918-357-6102

 

Union Public Schools
8506 E. 61st St.
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74133
918=357-4321

About Career Connect

Construction At A Glance

2 boys in construction class work to connect a frame to a sink in class at the Union Innovation Lab
Construction II students at work on wooden frames which are laying on the floor as they are being built
A Unionteacher helps a student inspect his construction work held in their hands
2 Union boys in construction class hold up a wooden frame they are working to complete
A Construction teacher stands behind 2 boys holding up their lighted lamps they have made in class
Construction students and their teacher watch two wooden derby cars race down tracks
Construction students and their teacher watch two wooden derby cars race down tracks
A Union student uses his hands to wire an outlet on a woden frame in construction class
A boy in Construction 1 class uses a jigsaw as his teacher and 3 other students watch
2 boys in Construction I class working at their station
A boy in construction 1 class uses a hand tool to sand down a piece of wood
Construction teacher David Langston inspect a small wooden frame structure in construction while other students work in the background
A yong Union woman inspects somethingin her hand next to a lathe in construction class.
A Union boy uses a sander on a piece of wood in construction class
A Union girl uses a drill to fasten wood on a small frame in construction class
5 Union boys in construction hold up wooden lamps they constructed and wired.
3 Union construction students use pencils to mark pieces of wood
2 boys in Construction class at a drill press table
3 light bulbs on wooden lamps shine bright as the construction class and their teacher pose behind them
A union student holds up a frame he has built in construction class
Union students work together to move woden frames they have built in construction
Constructon teacher David Langston helps a student line up his wooden frame
6 Union boys in construction pose inside a mobile trailer they have constructed for the Girl Scouts to use in selling coookies
Construction teachers and some students pose by a trailer they class has constructed to be used by the Girl Scouts for the sale of cookies
View of the construction glass at the Union Innovation Lab
Construction teacher David Langston talks to Board of Educatin member Joey Reyes next to a student bent over a table working in construction class.
Board of Education member Joey Reyes stands between a girl and boy to watch them working in construction class
A Union construction student makes a pencil mark on a piece of wood he is holding
Union High School Principal Beau brannon and District Community Schools Coordinator Kulsum Siddiqui walk past constucted wall frames in the Union Innovation Lab
view of the construction class in the Union Innovation Lab