The Hodgson Project represents a significant commitment by the State of Delaware and the New Castle County Vocational Technical School District (NCCVT) to enhance the educational facilities for vo-tech students. This project, one of the state’s largest current school projects, involves comprehensive enhancements to the school’s infrastructure and programming, directly responding to the evolving needs of its students. During a recent tour with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and NCCVT officials, the project’s progress made a strong impression, effectively demonstrating the successful application of the allocated funds.
A New Way of Working in an Old Industry
Our approach at the Hodgson site is one of teamwork and shared responsibility. Back in my day, running a project was a solitary exercise, with one person making the decisions – often in isolation. At Hodgson, every challenge is met with collective brainstorming and solution-finding by the whole team, and we’ve got a fresh way of thinking going on at this table.
Not too long ago, we faced a challenge with a transfer switch location, and some of the solutions the team came up with wouldn’t have been considered if everyone on the team didn’t feel like their ideas were important. I’m proud of the environment this team has created.
Learning by Doing
The Hodgson Project isn’t just a building going up; it’s also providing an active, hands-on teaching environment for future construction workers. Through our Co-Op program, developed in collaboration with Hodgson’s coordinators, we’re integrating current and past students into this project. This program will include at least 16,950 hours by NCCVT students.
We’ve shared the success of the State’s Diversity Supplier Pilot Program before, and the success of the bidding meant we were able to add in a some additional scope for the school – including a new Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Vet Tech space into the project. This means NCCVT students have new programs available to them once the school is complete.
Looking Forward: Continuous Growth and Development
As the project continues, our team is still committed to inclusive opportunities not just for students but also for smaller DBE contractors involved in the project. We have another significant Bid Pack coming out for bidding in 2025. Bid Pack E will include:
- The demo of the old school
- A new football and soccer stadium, with field house and locker rooms
- New baseball and softball fields
- Practice fields
This project really embodies what EDiS stands for – Building What Matters. This team is building so much more than a school. They are building the future of technical education in Delaware. The place where the future technical workforce in Delaware will learn. They are building real-world experience for all of the students involved in this project. And they are building a new way of working in construction. One I’m proud to be involved in with them.
At-A-Glance:
- 286,900 SF
- Includes 16,950 hours for NCCVT students
