CULLMAN, Ala. – Cullman Area Technology Academy (CATA) carpentry and industrial maintenance students teamed up to flex their skills and present the North Alabama Agriplex with a new storage building, entirely built and wired by themselves. This isn’t your typical storage shack – the building is 8′ x 10′ and boasts decorative siding and a metal roof. The building is also completely wired, including outlets, fixtures and a small breaker box.
Per CATA carpentry teacher Mike Burkett, his students are no strangers to using their skills to give back to our community, but especially the Agriplex.
“CATA construction has had a longstanding relationship with the North Alabama Agriplex for years,” said Burkett. “We’ve built pedestrian bridges, storage buildings and furniture, as well as cutting out parts for the birdhouses they give out during Peinhardt Farm Days.”
Burkett emphasized the importance of projects like these for both the community and CATA’s students; the projects serve to benefit the community through the work of budding builders, and the students get a practical lesson in team management. By offering hands-on learning for real-world projects, students walk away with a sense of pride in the finished product while using their skills to bless others.
“Doing community service projects gives CATA students an excellent opportunity to develop their leadership and teamwork skills while working on a real-world project,” Burkett said. “It also helps them work on their communication and interpersonal skills, and problem-solve in the field vs. a classroom/lab setting. They learn the importance of giving back to their communities!”
To stay up to date on CATA and future announcements, visit www.facebook.com/cataschool.
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