Mission statement

Big Skills trains the next generation of builders while tackling the Bay Area's housing needs. Big Skills empowers students through self-discovery and skill development, and transforms communities through the construction and placement of new units of affordable housing that preserve and uplift our communities.

Why?

We need skilled labor

78%  of contractors struggle to hire construction workers.

Young people need opportunities to gain trade skills.

We assess each homeowner's needs and match them with volunteers who have relevant skills.

See How We Transform Lives Through Our Big Skills Initiatives

Our volunteers not only provide repairs but also teach valuable skills to homeowners.

Our Holistic Approach

  • Empowers individuals via career pathways into the skilled trades.‍
  • Creates new units of affordable housing, placed in backyards that can house aging relatives, or alleviate homeowners' financial distress by providing supplemental income.
  • Preserves wealth and invests in communities by helping low- and moderate- income residents.
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Program Description

The Big Skills (BS) program at San Rafael High School has two levels of training; the upper-level is Big Skills construction trades apprentices receiving approximately 900 hours of hands-on training per school year. The other level is High School students receiving approximately 150 hours of hands-on training per year, through their enrollment in the Building and Construction Trades class.

Sean Ticknor, Program Director and founder of the BS program, leads a team of four to six BS apprentices to build two small homes.  During the build, High School students will participate in the construction during their  Building and Construction Trades class periods.  The project takes one school year to complete.

Big Skills Apprentices as Student Mentors

Each of the BS apprentices will lead four or five high school students through the same disciplines they are learning.  This will increase the depth of learning for the BS apprentices as well as maintaining a very small student to teacher ratio that is critical for teaching construction skills.  The structure of the program will also encourage  development of  communication and leadership skills for the BS apprentices, as well as creating two small homes during the academic year.

A small home was selected as an ideal construction project for the following reasons:

  • It exposes students to a variety of available careers in the trades
  • It results in a tangible product that students can feel proud to make
  • It can be completed in a reasonable time frame
  • It will help with the housing shortage

Small Home Specifications and Construction Timeline

The small home will be approximately 200 square feet large, and include a living space, modern bathroom, and complete kitchen. Like any other typical home, it will have plumbing, electricity, wood framed walls with windows and doors, and roofing. It will be finished with carpet, drapes, dishes, and decor. The home will be energy efficient and recycled building materials will be used, when possible. Sean Ticknor and his apprentices will work half time ten months.

The program will have three building phases, which are outlined below.

PHASE ONE - August, September, October, November

  • Site preparation
  • Floor Framing
  • Wall Framing
  • Roof Framing
  • Sheathing
  • Doors and Windows

PHASE TWO - December, January, February

  • Siding
  • Roof Installation
  • Plumbing and Electrical
  • Gas Lines
  • HVAC
  • Insulation
  • Trim Work

PHASE THREE - March, April, May, June

  • Install Appliances
  • Complete Kitchen
  • Complete Bathroom
  • Built-ins (storage, stairs)
  • Finish Electrical
  • Paint
  • Decor
person in dark clothing stands on a red ladder while working on wooden wall framing. The framing consists of vertical and diagonal support beams made of light-colored lumber, with pine trees visible in the background against a bright blue sky.
Student works on wall framing against a blue sky backdrop, demonstrating hands-on construction skills in the Big Skills program
Comprehensive Skills Development

Participants will experience all aspects of building a home, including the planning, drafting, and budgeting process required to complete such a complex project. Throughout the ten-month process, each student will exposed to a wide rage of construction skills, including carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, roofing, tiling, trim work and finishing. Additionally, by working as a team on a daily basis, each student will further their leadership, decision-making, problem-solving, and communication skills.After the small home is built, participants will undergo a career planning session. This will include meeting with team members individually and asking them:

  • How do you feel about the completed project?
  • What aspects of the build most appealed to you?
  • What did you not like about the project?
  • What skills did you enjoy developing the most?
  • What types of projects do you see yourself working on and enjoying?
  • What future career goals can you identify?
  • What are the next steps towards working in that field?
Career Planning and Graduate Support

The program does not end at the completion of the nine-month build and career planning session. Rather, BS will help place graduates into the next stage of their career and regularly follow up with graduates.

Possible placement options include:

  • A paid position at a construction company
  • An apprenticeship
  • Locating a vocational training school that matches their interest
  • Locating a college program for further education

BS will provide recommendations for placements and check in with graduates to ensure that graduates continue to move towards their goals. BS is  committed to supporting its graduates to ensure their long-term success.