MIDDLEBURG, Fla. – What if a student could own a home just months after graduating high school?
That’s the reality for Travis Antienowicz, who graduated from Middleburg High School a year ago and joined a paid apprenticeship with Carlton Construction soon after.
He said he started work a week after graduation and, within three months, he and his then-fiancée (now his wife) bought a house.
“I started a week after I had graduated and then three months later my wife and I … own a house,” Travis said. He is 19 years old.
Travis said he chose the trade route because college didn’t feel like the right fit.
“I kind of thought it wasn’t for me,” he said. “I’d rather learn looking at something. I’m more of a visual person, so it kind of allowed me to amplify that.”
The apprenticeship is part of a partnership between the Northeast Florida Builders Association and Clay County Schools that helps students secure paid positions with local employers.
Travis said the program has him taking classes two nights a week, and “they’ve literally paid for everything. I’ve just showed up and learned.”
Students apply classroom lessons directly on the job during the day and can earn certifications while getting paid.
Employers say programs like this help address a widespread shortage of skilled trade workers.
Matt Carlton, owner of Carlton Construction Inc., said the gap extends across multiple trades and called the need “very critical.”
Carlton, who got his start in high school building portable classrooms for the district, said hiring graduates who are ready to work removes a major hurdle for contractors.
Savannah Sterling, human resources manager for Carlton Construction, said since the company partners with the Clay County School District, CCI is able to meet students through events such as mock interviews.
“Last summer we had a huge success in the graduation class from our local school districts. We brought on five new employees,” she said, noting that many graduates are ready to start work the Monday after graduation.
Travis said the work is hard and often done in the heat, but seeing a finished project gives him a sense of satisfaction.
“It’s rewarding at the end of the day being able to step back and look at what you’ve done with your hands,” he said.