KBE Foundation awards 18 $1,000 scholarships for trade career bound students
Farmington, CT To help make even a small dent in the historically high number of open commercial construction jobs, the KBE Foundation continues its annual scholarship awards program, encouraging 18 graduating technical high school seniors to pursue industry careers.
Now in its 11th year, the Foundation’s annual Construction Careers Scholarship program awarded 18 $1,000 scholarships to students pursuing post-high school careers in the commercial construction industry at a special awards night on May 12, 2026, at Farmington Gardens. In all, the Foundation has awarded a total of $180,000 to 190 students since launching the program in 2014.
While most scholarships are typically earmarked for college tuition, the KBE Foundation’s Construction Career Scholarships can - uniquely - also be used to pay for the costs of post-high school education programs, certifications, and tools needed in the pursuit of a construction career. These programs include training programs in carpentry, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing trades, certification classes for state licensure, as well as 2- and 4-year degree programs in construction management.
Guest speakers at the May 12th scholarship awards event included Robert Dunn, president of the KBE Foundation and Marcie Addy, vice president of workforce development and education and director of education for the construction education center in Plainville.
According to the Associated Builders and Contractors, a national commercial construction industry association, “Today’s job market is complex, but one thing is clear: construction is a standout career choice. The industry offers multiple careers of choice for job seekers who want high-demand, well-compensated and rewarding employment with opportunities to climb the career ladder.
The latest data from Associated Builders and Contractors show that a chronic workforce shortage persists in construction, meaning opportunities for job seekers are abundant, especially in the commercial and industrial segments. The industry needs to attract 349,000 new workers in 2026 to meet demand for construction services.”
(SOURCE: https://abccarolinas.org/construction-needs-349000-workers-in-2026-what-the-industry-must-do-now/)
The KBE Foundation is doing its part to encourage young women and men to join the construction industry.
“The need to encourage young women and men to get into this industry is huge,” says Robert Dunn, Esq, President of the KBE Foundation, a non-profit public charity which now oversees all charitable giving for KBE Building Corporation and its affiliates. “The construction industry in Connecticut and across the nation is facing a dire shortage of qualified workers, from trade craftworkers to construction project managers and superintendents. At KBE, we believe we have a responsibility to encourage young women and men to pursue construction careers and help ensure a solid workforce for the future. One challenge is convincing students and their families that a construction career can be highly rewarding, both financially and personally.”
This year’s recipients include:
from E.C. Goodwin Technical High School
William Bourgoin, New Haven, CT (HVAC)
from Eli Whitney Technical High School
JaDa Brantley, Bristol, CT (Carpentry)
from Ella Grasso Technical High School
Alex Castagna, Mystic, CT (Electrical)
Elias Dominguez, Niantic, CT (Welding)
from Harvard H. Ellis Technical High School
Ava Desjardins, Plainfield, CT (Masonry)
Dax Sforza, Hampton, CT (Carpentry)
from Henry Abbott Technical High School
Matthew Green, Danbury, CT (HVAC)
Istvan Hatlaczky, Danbury, CT (Electrical)
Mikey Sweeny, Danbury, CT (HVAC)
Sabrina Viveros, Newtown, CT (Electrical)
Hunter Von Minden, New Milford, CT (Electrical)
from Norwich Technical High School
Gavin Caswell, Canterbury, CT (Plumbing)
Brandon Cedio, Norwich, CT (HVAC)
Logan Ruszczyk, Oakdale, CT (HVAC)
Killian Stimson, Canterbury, CT (Plumbing)
from Platt Technical High School
Ellie Davidson, Stratford, CT (Carpentry)
from Vinal Technical High School
Noah Sardinskas, Portland, CT (Electrical)
Amanda Valk, Portland, CT (Electrical)