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Whitlock Builders & Aspire: Building a Legacy Now and Into the Future
Whitlock Builders was founded more than six decades ago and has since built a reputation for a commitment to its customers, quality craftsmanship in each step of the homebuilding process, and creating homes that stand the test of time.
The family owned and operated company is proud of their commitment to beautifying the Carolina Piedmont region, and its portfolio demonstrates this core value. And while the team at Whitlock places strong importance on building trust with their clients and nurturing their relationships with architects and other building professionals to create a stunning end product, Whitlock has also committed to building a stronger trades workforce.
The nationwide worker shortage is certainly impacting all industries, and Whitlock Builders has seen firsthand that there are fewer workers and the workers that are entering the workforce are not specializing in some of the most critical trades. Whitlock Builders is looking to do its part in finding an answer to that shortage.
So, as part of their 65th business anniversary last year, they decided to look closely at how they could continue to build a legacy in Charlotte – and the country. Part of their solution was partnering with Charlotte’s first charter trade high school, Aspire Trade High School, which will open this year. The innovative trade school will feature hands-on labs and will include rigorous academic schooling. Students can earn a diploma and a trade certificate at the end of their four years. The school receives minimal public funding, and for the team at Whitlock, it was the perfect opportunity to sponsor an institution focused on training up the next generation of skilled tradespeople. The company looks forward to meeting Aspire grads with certificates they earn in the Whitlock Builders Masonry & Tile Lab.
“The Aspire Trade High School is a school for students who want a career in the trades. When the students come to the high school everything will be given to them on campus. Every single trade lab is there for them to learn from their freshman year to their senior year. They will get to do an apprenticeship and by the time they graduate they will have had 16 classes over 4 years in that particular trade path.” shared Jennifer Nichols, Executive Director, Aspire Foundation.
This isn’t all Whitlock Builders has done, either. They have served as a sponsor for Charleston’s American College of the Building Arts – and even hired a graduate of the college who now works as one of Whitlock’s superintendents. Over the course of the company’s history, Whitlock has also welcomed summer interns into the fold, helping show them the ropes of the construction industry. Furthermore, they have participated in high school trade fairs to aid in introducing young professionals to the many jobs that exist in the field of construction – especially custom home building.
“As a sponsor, our goal is to interact with kids and engage with them, making sure they have a good picture of what homebuilding is and how that relates to masonry as a career choice,” shared Steven Whitlock, Vice President at the company.
Whitlock’s commitment to superb craftsmanship and working with craftsman that are passionate about every detail of their work is truly what makes the company stand apart. Above all, being a part of helping young people discover their gifts in the trades and ultimately find employment in a growing industry is something that the team at Whitlock Builders finds very rewarding.
