Sundt Construction recently completed the $10-million design-build G. Michael Hoover KAPBCS Training Center in Phoenix. The complex is home to the Center for Craft Excellence (C4CE), Sundt’s national NCCER certified program, which will provide classes and hands-on training in multiple trades and will host industry and community events.

Designed by Architekton, construction of the ground-up facility was self-performed by Sundt crews. The contractor’s apprentices also contributed, with students in the welding classes building the welding booths that their future peers will use for hands-on learning.

Image courtesy Sundt Construction

Sundt worked with the design team to develop “a clean but bold aesthetic using upgraded metal siding, high-quality glass and a pop of Sundt red with glazed tile,” according to a statement by Sundt. The training center features indoor and covered outdoor lab spaces along with two hybrid classrooms for in-person and virtual events, a 200-person auditorium with advanced AV/teleconference capability, two LED video walls, a catering kitchen and pre-function space for conferences and events. The outdoor space consists of a 7,500-sq-ft preengineered canopy with HLVS fans and power for tools and equipment used for hands-on vocational training.

“Sundt leadership recognized this impending need for skilled craft. But we knew we couldn’t just wait around for skilled builders, we had to help create them and give our people those opportunities to grow their careers,” says Sean Ray, vice president of craft workforce development at Sundt. “Our apprenticeships really benefit all parties, even project owners.”