Building the Future Workforce: KBE Foundation Awards $18,000 in Construction Career Scholarships

For the 11th consecutive year, the KBE Foundation is investing in the future of the commercial construction industry by awarding Construction Career Scholarships to graduating technical high school seniors. During a special awards ceremony held on May 12, 2026, at Farmington Gardens in Farmington, Connecticut, the Foundation awarded eighteen $1,000 scholarships to students pursuing careers in construction. Since launching the program in 2014, the KBE Foundation has invested a total of $180,000 in 190 students, helping them take the first steps toward rewarding careers across the industry.

Technical high school seniors and college students received $1000 from the KBE Foundation to support their construction career goals | The KBE Foundation

Investing in Every Construction Career Path

What makes the KBE Foundation's Construction Career Scholarship unique is its flexibility. Unlike many traditional scholarship programs that are limited to college tuition, these scholarships can also be used to cover trade school programs, industry certifications, state licensing courses, and the tools needed to begin a career in construction.

The program supports students pursuing careers in carpentry, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing trades, as well as two- and four-year construction management degree programs. By removing financial barriers at the start of a student's career, the Foundation is helping make the industry more accessible while strengthening tomorrow's workforce.

Supporting an Industry in Need

The scholarship program comes at a critical time for commercial construction. According to the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), the industry will need to attract approximately 349,000 new workers in 2026 to meet anticipated demand for construction services. As experienced professionals retire and project activity continues to grow, workforce development remains one of the industry's greatest priorities.

The scholarship awards ceremony featured remarks from Robert G. 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. Together, they highlighted the growing demand for skilled professionals and the wide range of rewarding careers available throughout today's construction industry.

"The need to encourage young women and men to get into this industry is huge," said Robert G. Dunn, Esq., President of the KBE Foundation. "The construction industry in Connecticut and across the nation is facing a significant shortage of qualified workers, from skilled tradespeople to construction project managers and superintendents. At KBE, we believe we have a responsibility to encourage students to pursue construction careers and help ensure a strong workforce for the future. One of our greatest challenges is helping students and their families recognize that construction offers careers that are both financially rewarding and personally fulfilling."

Building Stronger Communities Through Opportunity

As the charitable arm of KBE Building Corporation and its affiliated companies, the KBE Foundation is committed to supporting education, strengthening communities, and investing in the next generation of construction professionals. Through the Construction Career Scholarship program, the Foundation continues to help students launch meaningful careers while contributing to a stronger future for the commercial construction industry.

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)

The KBE Foundation, founded in 2021, is a not-for-profit charitable organization dedicated to making a difference in our communities. Based in Farmington, CT, The Foundation supports not-for-profit organizations and events that improve the quality of life for children and adults, whether by enhancing educational opportunities, addressing food or housing insecurity, achieving social equity, or other community needs. To date, the Foundation has donated more than $4.7 million.

The Foundation grew out of a 14-year-long philanthropic program called “50 Ways to Make a Difference” that was created by KBE Building Corporation (ww.kbebuilding.com) to celebrate its then 50 years in business.