About Us

We started in 2002 with 40 students and 25 mentors. Today, we are a growing organization with over three times those original numbers of students and mentors. Students come from high schools all over the Bay Area – San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, the lower Peninsula, Contra Costa County.

Our program is open to students in grades 9-12, who are interested in exploring careers in architecture, construction, engineering and the building trades. Guided by their mentors, students work in teams on projects that involve virtually every phase of the construction process.

This gives participants a practical way to discover how industry professionals take a building from initial concept to final structure. It also gives them a “true-to-life” picture of the building industry’s many rewarding career opportunities.

We have teams throughout the Bay Area. To find out if there is a team near you,
please contact us.

Our Projects

Through the years, student teams and their mentors from local architecture, construction and engineering firms completed a range of “mock” building projects, including schools, bridges and rapid transit stations. In addition to working on their projects, the teams visited local construction sites and professional offices.

At the end of the year, students present their project solutions to parents, teachers, mentor firm members and others. A scholarship program for ACE seniors intending to pursue a career in the building industry highlights the end of every year.