CONSTRUCTION TRADES
Don’t just learn about it – build an actual house and lay the foundation for a rewarding career! You will gain hands-on experience with power tools, blueprint reading, cabinet making, and the construction of floors, walls, ceilings, and roofs. Construct your future in the exciting world of residential and commercial building.
BUILD A LASTING FOUNDATION
Take a drive on any street and look around. Every structure you see is either old, new, or under construction. New buildings, roads, and other structures represent the building process, and America likes to build. Let Central Tech help you build a foundation for a career in construction.
Students learn how to build a house from the ground up!
BUILDING PROCESS YOU WILL EXPERIENCE HANDS-ON:
- Build the wood frame floor or use the concrete slab to start framing
- Begin framing walls and roofs and/or setting trusses
- Sheath the outside walls and roof for protection
- Finish exterior siding and trim work
- Apply shingles
- Cut and hang drywall
- Complete interior including hanging doors and trim
- Build or assemble and install cabinets
- Masonry

THE HOUSE PROJECT
The house is a cooperative project with Pre-Engineering students and understanding how civil work influences the foundation of your building structure and Electrical Trades students wiring the home for electricity. In fact, some students will choose to take both construction and electrical trades to increase their skills, employability, and starting salary. Others may choose to combine construction and drafting or start their own construction company.
Building a home, as part of the curriculum, gives students a leg-up on someone beginning their training with a construction company.
High school students rave about the Skills competitions in framing, cabinet making, and TeamWorks (which combines carpentry, masonry, plumbing, and electrical skills).
If you are a person who enjoys seeing the fruits of their labor, then each day on a construction site can be rewarding. Once the project is complete…you can enjoy looking at it for years to come.
Build your future in construction trades and help frame the future of the construction industry.
“Great place to find future construction employees.”
“Construction is a great class that generates great leaders.”
RESIDENTIAL CARPENTRY
PATHWAY
DETAILS
Construction Trades offers a level of training that qualifies both high school and adult students for entry into the building trades industry or cabinetmaking industry.
Practical experience is offered in various phases of residential construction. Skills taught include:
- Tools & Job Safety
- Use of Hand & Power Tools
- Plan Reading & Elevations
- Framing of Floors, Walls, Ceilings & Roofs
- Roofing Applications & Thermal & Moisture Protection
- Exterior & Interior Finishing
- Cabinetmaking
AREAS OF STUDY
- Construction Core & Safety
- Construction Principles
- Framing
- Exterior & Finishing
- Workforce Staging
- Interior Finish & Trim
- Advanced Framing
- Cabinet Construction
- Advanced Finishing
#centraltechConstruction
What an awesome year for our Construction students! The last Chippy Olympics event featured students navigating through a challenging course, completing various tasks requiring skills and knowledge. 💪
Tasks included precision tasks with 0-1" blocks, timed blueprint reading and takeoff, nail driving without bending, screwing, identifying wood species, and answering questions related to their completed courses this year (Basic Shop Safety, Blueprint Reading, Architecture History, Framing, Roofing, and Cabinet Making). The event also featured some instructor quotes to inspire success in the trade.
The final challenge was rolling up an extension cord "chain" without any "arm pit" cord roll ups. Team "Drill Bits" maintained their undefeated record, claiming victory in the First Annual Chippy Olympics.
#centraltechConstruction
Round one of the “Chippy” Olympics has come to an end. 🪚
During the first round, our construction students participated in various activities, including opening their locker, reading a tape measure, accurately cutting on a panel saw and table saw, driving a 16d sinker, mastering the miter saw, cutting and laying out a rafter and cleaning up sawdust. To wrap up, students tackled a trivia question, putting their knowledge to the test.
Stay tuned for round two!
#centraltechConstruction
Celebrating 50 Years in 50 Words - "I attended Health Careers while in high school where I also met and married my best friend, thanks to Central Tech. I then worked as a dental assistant for five years before returning as an adult student and completing the Drafting Program. I’ve been teaching Design Drafting for 20 years." - Jo Ann Baugus, 1999, Drafting Design Instructor #centraltechCAD #centraltechConstruction
Tyler Wayland, Ben Burris, and Zach Ackart put pen to paper this afternoon during @skillsusa National Signing Day sponsored by @klein_tools. Congrats Ben and Tyler on your internships with @crosslandconstruction and Zach on your position at Pawnee Millworks! Read more -> link in bio #centraltechConstruction
“It’s been interesting coming to school with high school students; most of these guys are younger than my adult children,” said MonyaMarie Black, a 64-year-old construction trades student. Read how MonyaMarie plans to use her #skills to help the underserved in Jamaica -> Link in bio! #centraltechconstruction
More information
Bigger markets pay more, but the median annual wage for construction occupations is $56,350.
Our graduates find residential and commercial employment locally and, in the Tulsa, and Oklahoma City areas. Most students who go straight to work after completing the program start in carpentry, cabinet making, metal stud framing, form work, or drywall.
Many graduates will further their learning at OSU-IT studying Construction Management. As you take on new responsibilities in your job and become a leader, you could progress to a foreman or project superintendent. Students who complete their two-year associate degree can start working as an assistant superintendent making approximately $62,529/year.
- OSHA-10
- Students: Adult & High School
- Campus: Drumright Only
- Times: Morning, Afternoon, Full Day
- School Year: August-May
Ask about Financial Aid and Scholarship availability.
- Computer Aided Drafting (CAD)
- Electrical Trades
- Facilities Maintenance
- HVAC (day and evening)
- Plumbing
