Training for Success

When Fred Hunter was a senior at Lawrenceville’s Archer High, he enrolled in the Carpentry Pathway at nearby Maxwell High School of Technology, one of more than 250 Georgia high school programs Construction Ready supports through industry certification, instructor training, career connections, and more.

Over the course of that year, Fred developed an interest in pursuing a career in the skilled trades. Soon after he graduated in 2022, Construction Ready again played a role in his career development, this time through its Pre-Apprenticeship training program. Fred enrolled at the program’s Gwinnett County location and graduated with Gwinnett Group 5 in August of that year.

“It was a good learning experience,” Fred says of the four-week training regimen. “It was about learning the ropes of construction, plus getting the OSHA 10 [credential]. Having that safety knowledge has really been a big help.”

Fred’s initial job match was with Marek, an interior systems contractor with whom he worked for more than a year. In August of 2024, he landed an entry-level Laborer position with McCarthy Building Companies, where his dedication and work ethic ultimately earned him a place in McCarthy’s in-house apprenticeship training program. He began that process in November 2025. (Pictured at right is Fred already at work on Day 1 of the program.)

“From the very beginning, Fred has demonstrated a positive and upbeat attitude, along with a strong eagerness to develop his career in the skilled trades,” says McCarthy Workforce Development Specialist Edwin Parra. “As he starts learning in the apprenticeship classes, he’ll be able to advance into the carpentry role, where he’ll be able to choose interior carpentry or general carpentry.”

Since joining McCarthy, Fred has earned valuable job-site experience on a large-scale project in Walton County, as well as at a judicial and administrative complex that’s part of Rockdale County’s Reimagine Rockdale strategic plan.

“It’s been great, personally growing and developing, and also seeing the Rockdale project develop into a complete building,” Fred says. “At the Walton County project, I’ve learned things like patching concrete and mapping, plus more about safety. That’s been a good experience, too.

“For now, my main goal is to keep progressing,” he continues. “I’m just trying to learn as much as I can.”

Parra says that attitude certainly will help Fred as he continues to develop: “He has proven to be a valuable asset. He continues to learn and advance his skills, contributing significantly to our ongoing work. We look forward to witnessing Fred’s continued success with McCarthy.”