Join Kayleen McCabe, contractor and host of DYI Network’s “Rescue Renovation,” live each Tuesday at noon on CEFGA’s Facebook Page, for discussions with a variety of industry leaders.
2022 Events
January 25: Kayleen visits with Dave Baker, host of the Home Fixit Show on Atlanta’s WSB radio. They chat about some of Dave’s most memorable moments on air, the value of knowing when and when not to attempt repairs on your own home, and the incredible career opportunities available in construction and the skilled trades.
January 11: Texas-based high school instructor Tami Gamble is passionate about her career in construction education, and her enthusiasm for the skilled trades is contagious. Watch her conversation with Kayleen about her work as the “Girly Shop Teacher.”
Past Events
2021 events are presented below; for 2020 events, visit our archive page.
If you are interested in being a guest on our Facebook Live event, click here.
December 1: Kayleen chats with Kerstin Dart about how she discovered a passion for woodworking, landed a job as an apprentice (after making a valuable connection with a customer while working at her local Home Depot) and started her own company, Darts Artisan Woodwork and Renovations.
November 16: This week Kayleen visits with Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) Executive Director LeAnn Wilson, who discusses how students can prepare for a career while still in high school, and how attending the upcoming ACTE CareerTech Vision 2021 conference can benefit career seekers in CTE fields.
October 19: This week’s show features Reggie LaGrone of Be Pro Be Proud. He and Kayleen discuss the organization’s efforts to generate excitement about careers in the trades; a virtual tour of the Be Pro Be Proud truck, currently visiting Newton High School, also is included.
October 12: After a two-week break, Kayleen returns to talk with Joseph Echols, Dual Enrollment Director for the Technical College System of Georgia, about programs in Georgia that allow students to earn credentials, essential work training and college credit while attending high school.
September 21: CEFGA’s Alexis Muir joins Kayleen to talk about the fast-growing Construction Ready program, which has expanded this year from training sites around Metro Atlanta to multiple cities statewide, including Savannah, Augusta, Macon and Columbus.
September 14: Kayleen chats with Angie Barnett from the Georgia Chapter of the National Association of Minority Contractors.
August 31: Kayleen’s Favorite Things. Kayleen celebrates her birthday by talking about some of her favorite products and visiting with representatives from Kreg Tool, Rockport Works and Dovetail Workwear.
August 24: This week features another engaging Facebook Live event, with Kayleen discussing women in construction with Sherri Miles, Erica Jackson and Alicia Michael of Meta Team, a collaboration of premier, certified, women-owned commercial roofing companies with more than 250 years of combined experience in the roofing industry.
August 17: Tyler Campbell of the Construction Brothers Podcast discusses the popular forum he shares with his sibling, Eddie, in talking about how technology and innovation are taking a lead in the construction Industry.
August 10: Kayleen chats with Mike Plant, President and CEO, Braves Development Company, about the construction of Truist Park, the Atlanta Braves’ home stadium; and the adjacent Battery Atlanta, an innovative mixed-use development that was completed in less than 36 months.
July 27: Kayleen speaks with Stacy Perlman, Principal of Mountain Park Elementary School, and Clint Pruitt, Construction Instructor, about the innovative construction class the school launched for 5th graders in 2020-21. The kids love it and there is a ton of interest around the program, which lays the groundwork for students ultimately to enter a high school-level program when they reach that age. Learn why having a school construction program is essential, and how to implement this valuable pathway into your schools!
July 20: Talking Skilled Trades with Roger Wakefield, “The Expert Plumber.” Kayleen talks with renowned YouTuber Roger Wakefield, aka The Expert Plumber, about careers in the skilled trades. Roger isn’t just Richardson, Texas’ favorite plumber, he’s America’s favorite plumber, known for his line, “looks great and smells good!” which originated from his winning video in American Standard’s 2016 Plumber Know How contest, in which Roger was chosen as The Next Expert Plumber.
Roger is a Texas Master Plumber and an entertaining online video creator. He also teaches plumbing and is passionate about green building and water conservation. He considers becoming a LEED AP in 2009 as a major accomplishment in his plumbing career, as very few plumbers received that certification. Follow him on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram (@_Rogerwakefield)
July 13: LIVE with Kayleen at Camp NAWIC San Diego. Kayleen talks to Brett Henderson, past president of NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction) about the camp and the upcoming NAWIC annual conference, then interviews some of the lucky girls attending this amazing event in San Diego.
Note: This week’s installment of Lunchtime with Kayleen includes two video segments, both of which are presented below.
June 29: KickAss Career. KickAss Life. Jamie McMillan, head of Kickass Careers, talks to Kayleen about how her organization engages, educates and encourages youth to consider careers in Mechanical, Industrial, Technology & Construction (MITC) through school and community outreach. Meet the Kickass Career Ambassadors at kickasscareers.org/ambassadors, and view videos and blog posts with Jamie at kickasscareers.org/media.
June 22: LIVE with Two of Atlanta’s Leading Recruiters. Live from CEFGA Headquarters, Kayleen talks to Jeremy Whitaker, Recruiter for C.W. Matthews, and Daron Allen, Recruiter for McKenney’s, about getting started on a career path in the construction industry.
June 15: The Key to Success – Connecting Local Employers with Qualified Employees. Kayleen talks to Edwin Parra of Anning-Johnson Company, an 80-year-old construction company with offices throughout the U.S. In Atlanta, the company has built some of the city’s most iconic buildings, including Coca Cola’s world headquarters, One Atlantic Center and Philips Arena (now State Farm Arena). Kayleen and Edwin discuss hiring in the construction industry and what he looks for in a potential employee. She also talks with Nicholas Holmes, a graduate of CEFGA’s Construction Ready training program who has forged a successful career with Anning-Johnson since joining the company in 2014.
June 8: Welding Jobs Are an Untapped Gold Mine. Kayleen McCabe met with Rachel Lee, Student Liaison and executive member of the American Welding Society, and Tom Rieger, Vice Chair of AWS and Instructor at Lanier Technical College, about careers specializing in this in-demand skill. Advancing the science, technology and application of welding and allied joining and cutting processes worldwide – this is AWS’s mission. Whether you’re interested in membership, certification, advanced training, updated standards, conferences, professional collaborations or the many exciting career opportunities in welding today, AWS can help you start a career path to welding or help you advance in the welding industry. Learn more at aws.org.
May 25: Construction Ready: Trained, Credentialed, Ready to Work. Kayleen speaks today with Veda White from CEFGA’s own Construction Ready program, which has trained and placed more than 1,000 graduates into full-time, living-wage careers with construction companies throughout Georgia since 2014. This nationally recognized program is an NCCER-accredited, four-week construction boot camp training and certification program. NCCER is recognized by the construction industry as the training, assessment, certification and career development standard for the construction and maintenance craft professional. If you are looking for a head start in construction, these are the credentials that will kickstart your career in construction. Classes are offered in Metro Atlanta, Cobb County, East Point, Gwinnett County, Augusta, Savannah and Macon. NEED MORE INFORMATION? Contact Veda White, CEFGA Associate Director, Student Success, at 678-832-6570 or veda.white@cefga.org, or go to www.constructionready.org.
May 18: Find Out Now: What Should You Do to Get Trained and Placed in a job You Love? Kayleen McCabe talks to Branka Minic, CEO of Building Talent Foundation. BTF works to bring together the creative energy, resources and efforts of builders, trade partners, suppliers and manufacturers, and all of our educational partners to rebuild our workforce. The pillar of BTF’s strategy is to engage with the students and the workforce, connect employers with the job seekers, and use technology at jobstobuild.com to continue to recruit partners and candidates. For more information, visit BTF’s website or contact us by texting careerpath to 31996.
May 11: Being a Star in Your Industry Is a Matter of Being Prepared. This week Kayleen spoke with Dr. Tiffany Barney, Director of the Cobb Innovation & Technology Academy (CITA), and Sharon Mason, President & CEO of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce.
CITA is a state-of-the-art Innovation & Technology Academy available to Cobb County residents. Qualified applicants can learn more at cobbk12.org/cita or by emailing Tiffany.Barney@cobbk12.org. Sharon Mason works closely with CITA to help place students with employers after graduation. Learn more about job opportunities in Cobb County at cobbhires.com.
For more information on building a career pathway in the skilled trades, text careerpath to 31996.
May 4: Everything You Wanted to Know About the Association for Career & Technical Education. Kayleen talks with Alisha Hyslop, Senior Director, Public Policy, about the ACTE (www.acteonline.org) and its efforts to help educators be prepared to help students with career readiness. Learn about what ACTE can assist with right here.
Students can use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form to apply for financial aid for college or graduate school at studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa. See this article to learn more about the innovation needed to fill the skills gap.
April 27: National Association of the Remodeling Industry
Guest: Doug King
For More Information: Visit nari.org; email info@cefga.org
April 20: McCarthy Building Company
Guest: Greg Willingham
For More Information: Visit mccarthy.com
April 13: Advantages of a Technical College Education
Guest: Jason Strickland, Technical College System of Georgia
For More Information: Visit www.tcsg.edu
April 6: Ready, Set, Skilled
Guest: Kate Cinnamo, Explore the Trades
For More Information: Visit explorethetrades.org
March 30: Careers in Architecture
Guest: Greg Walker, Houser Walker Architecture
For More Information: Visit houserwalker.com
March 23: Contractors, Closers & Connections
Guest: Chris Maier, Cooper & Co. Construction
For More Information: Visit facebook.com/contractorsclosersandconnections
March 16: Construction Ready Expands Beyond Atlanta
Guest: Van Johnson, Mayor of Savannah
For More Information: Visit constructionready.org/career-seekers/sign-up
March 9: Women in Construction Week
Guest: Brett Henderson, NAWIC Atlanta
For More Information: Visit nawic.org; email info@cefga.org
March 2: Helping Young Women Power UP for Careers in Construction
Guest: Mittie Cannon, Power UP Inc. and Jay Reed, Associated Builders and Contractors of Alabama
For More Information: Visit www.poweruploud.org; email info@cefga.org
February 23: Harbor Freight Tools for Schools
Guest: Tae Kang, Program Manager, Harbor Freight Prize for Teaching Excellence
For More Information: Visit harborfreighttoolsforschools.org. Applications for the Tools for Schools Contest are accepted from March 24-May 21.
February 16: A Sneak Peak into CEFGA’s Webinar for Parents and Students
Guest: Bob Bradley, Mechanical Contractors Association; Tim Elliott, GA Department of Education; Chuck Little, Atlanta Electrical Contractors Association
For More Information: Email info@cefga.org or text careerpath to 31996.
February 9: Scholarship and Financial Aid Opportunities for Georgia Students
Guest: Brad Byant, Vice President, REACH Georgia
For More Information: Visit Georgia Futures, the Georgia Student Finance Commission and REACH Georgia
February 2: CEFGA’s Construction Ready Program
Guest: Veda White, Associate Director, Student Success
For More Information: Learn about Construction Ready classes here; learn how to hire Construction Ready graduates here; email Veda White, Veda.white@cefga.org
January 26: Building Success through Partnerships
Guest: Angela Sparks, Marietta City Schools CTAE Advisor
For More Information: Visit gacareerpipeline.gadoe.org; text careerpath to 31996
January 19: Transitioning from High School to College or the Job Market
Guest: Brandi Beavers, Dekalb County Post-Secondary Support Specialist
For More Information: Email Brandi Beavers
January 12: 2021 Education Update
Guests: Scott Stump, Assistant Secretary of CTAE, U.S. Department of Education, and Chelle Travis, Executive Director, SkillsUSA
For More Information: See resources listed in Chat
