The Building Industry Technology Academy (BITA) prepares high school students for a career in homebuilding. The BITA program was introduced successfully in San Bernardino County last year at Upland High School (Upland, CA) and Los Oso High School (Rancho Cucamonga, CA). The BIA Baldy View chapter raised $5,000 for the programs and President Phil Burum presented the donation to both schools. BIABV continued to support the programs in varies ways throughout 2018 - 2019 school year including a Construction Site Tour.
Phil Burum (BIA President), Phil Thomas (BITA Instructor), Joshua Kirk (Principal), Chris Hollister (Asst Superintendent), Virginia Kelsen (ED Career Readiness)
Scott Sypkens (Asst. Superintendent), Carlos Rodriguez (BIA CEO), Phil Burum (BIA President), Jason Craig (BITA Instructor)
BITA Construction Site Tour
On November 29th, Lennar Homes and VP of Government Affairs, Ryan Combe, hosted a construction site tour for the BITA students from Los Oso High School (Rancho Cucamonga). The field trip exposed BITA students to careers in the homebuilding industry at Lennar’s newest community, The Arboretum in Fontana CA. Students toured all phases of construction: trenching, grading, storm drain, framing, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, drywall, telecommunications and sales. Representatives from several BIA trade companies (TWR Framing, Pacific Production Plumbing, T. McGee Electrical, Preferred Telecom & Slater Inc.) also donated their time to speak to the students and share their personal experiences. The tour concluded with lunch and a model home viewing where students learned about sales and the new smart home technologies. BIA Baldy View is committed to supporting BITA and inspiring the next generation of homebuilders. Another construction site tour for the Upland High School BITA students is planned for 2019.
Construction Site Tour Schedule
Station 1 – Land Entitlement and Development (9:30am)
Land Acquisition, Community Design, Entitlements/Approvals
Grading Operation, Wet Utilities, Dry Utilities, Streets & Landscape
Station 2 – Homebuilding (10:15am)
Overview of Homebuilding Trades (vertical construction)
Trenching, Framing, Plumbing, HVAC, Electrical, Drywall, Paint, Stucco, Finished Carpentry, Flooring, Landscaping
Station 3 – Lunch Break (11:45am–12:30pm)
Lunch Sponsor: Slater, Inc – Box Lunches
Guest Speaker: Blake Slater, Slater Inc. (storm drain services)
Station 4 – Marketing/Sales (12:30pm)
Model Homes: Overview of Marketing and Selling Homes
Smart home technologies
