Massachusetts

Construction is one of the leading economic drivers in the U.S. and around the world. Limitless opportunities to work on building projects on every continent exist for well-paid architects, engineers and construction managers. But, the number of smart and talented men and women majoring in the building disciplines today won’t meet tomorrow’s needs.

Enter ACE (architecture, construction and engineering). The ACE Mentor program is an organization widely recognized by universities throughout the US as a stand-out extracurricular program that improves the chances of acceptance into programs offering degrees in the ACE fields.

ACE Massachusetts, an affiliate since 2007, offers a year-long after-school program providing students in grades 10-12 with an introduction to the design, engineering and construction disciplines.

ACE enables students to test-run a career in the building arts and sciences. All ACE participants, whether or not they decide to pursue a career in building, take away a valuable and exciting experience that develops ability for creative and logical thinking.

For those that decide that creating structures is their passion, the benefits include:

scholarship opportunities
professional industry contacts and references
high school and college internship opportunities
advance preparation for college
development of technical skill sets in leading design and construction software programs

ACE Massachusetts offers programs in Boston, Woburn and Worcester. Students meet every other week during the academic year for two- to three-hour sessions divided between an educational session and hands-on development of a hypothetical, but realistic, building project.

Field trips to actual project sites, professional offices and local colleges are incorporated into the program. Students work with knowledgeable building professionals, known as ACE Mentors, throughout the program.

ACE Mentors are full-time architects, engineers and project managers as well as dedicated volunteers excited to inspire the design and construction leaders of the future. Projects involve analysis of site, environmental and permitting issues, design and engineering of a structure, and preconstruction planning, estimating and scheduling. A year-end award event recognizes the student projects.

ACE Boston works in partnership with The Engineering School, a member of Boston’s Public School System, of Hyde Park, MA. ACE Boston meets after school every other Tuesday throughout the school year excepting holiday and vacation periods. The program is held in the Boston offices of internationally renown architectural firm Shepley Bulfinch Richardson & Abbott—SBRA.

The ACE Woburn program works in partnership with Woburn Memorial High School. ACE Woburn meets after school every other Wednesday throughout the school year excepting holiday and vacation periods. The program is held in the Woburn offices of Tocci Building Corporation, a construction firm building throughout the Northeast U.S.

The ACE Worcester program is being structured for the 2008-2009 school year. Please check back for more information in the near future.