Mike Gibson of the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Kansas described the Build Up Kansas program and the construction-sector workforce pipeline the program supports.

Gibson told the committee that the program has expanded access to construction trades curriculum in Kansas high schools and strengthened articulation pathways to community colleges and state universities. He said nearly 9,000 high-school students are now enrolled in Build Up Kansas CTE courses, up from roughly 2,000 three years earlier.

Gibson said the program has connected high-school students to scholarships and community-college degree pathways; he reported college construction-science graduates have seen record starting salaries (a cited $76,000 median for certain recent cohorts) and high placement rates, with roughly 90% remaining in-state after graduation. He also said many graduates move directly into midcareer-paying technical jobs: AGC reported an average starting wage from CTE pipelines near $54,000 (noting overtime and regional variation).

Gibson and AGC urged continued legislative support to scale the program statewide, identify and fund CTE instructors for rural schools, and maintain industry partnerships that provide internships and employer-led instruction. AGC also described corrections-facility and military transition efforts to upskill adults for construction careers.

Ending: Committee members praised the program and asked AGC and education leaders to provide return-on-investment materials for an upcoming review; the AGC promised to supply additional documentation and offer subject-matter experts to help legislators visit program sites.