Ready for the Real World

When Haley Ebbers and Maddie Griffin graduated from Lee County High School in the spring of 2026, they each had a full-time job waiting for them with Pellicano Construction in nearby Albany.

“It feels good to know that I’ll be able to work and have money, while some people might be struggling to find a job, even after getting out of college,” Haley said prior to her graduation. “It definitely makes me feel secure.” 

Due to the critical need for skilled labor throughout the construction industry, such opportunities abound for young men and women willing to learn a trade and work hard at it. And schools like Lee County – where John Wanner is the influential teacher preparing construction students for real-world careers – are a vital pipeline to filling those positions.

Merideth Holland, Pellicano’s Vice President of Corporate Development, was on hand to celebrate Haley and Maddie at the CTAE Career Signing Day Wanner organized at LCHS in May 2026.

“Our industry is built on a foundation of hard work and education,” Holland said. “Today we’re getting to see these young people live that out and actually get excited about what their future looks like. Events like this give me hope for the future of the industry. We’re building the workforce on a good foundation.”

Maddie and Haley were ready to step into full-time Laborer positions with Pellicano after working part-time summer jobs for the company, then continuing their work as seniors through Lee County’s Work Based Learning (WBL) program.

“Mr. Wanner is always trying to get somebody a job,” Maddie said. “He had asked me, ‘Do you have a job for the summer?’ I said no and he said, ‘Well, I know a company that you can work for,’ and he introduced me to Mrs. Holland.”

Maddie worked two summers for Pellicano, and Haley joined her during the summer of 2025. Haley enjoyed the unique experience of working alongside her father, who’s also a Pellicano employee.

“My father has worked construction ever since I can remember,” she said. “Before I was old enough to officially start working with him, I would help him with projects on the weekend.”

Maddie grew up on a farm, so she wasn’t averse to strenuous manual work. Both girls took introductory classes under Wanner and were all-in on construction careers from that point on.

“When they came in, they immediately connected,” Wanner recalled. “They’re young girls in a boys’ world, but it didn’t take much encouragement to build in them the resilience to just be their own person. They seemed to want the challenge. Their attitude was, ‘I can be as good as or better than the boys,’ and along the way they showed they can.”

Maddie further honed her craft by competing on Wanner’s SkillsUSA team.

“I did cabinetry for two years,” she said. “I won second place at region once, then I won first place at region, and I went to state both years. That definitely had an impact on me and my interest in working with my hands.”

At Pellicano, the girls learned techniques for demolition, framing, drywall, and more, and their handiwork included helping build a pergola at Phoebe Putney Health System’s Willson Hospice House in Albany. Haley also developed an interest in welding, a skill she would like to pursue further.

“Both of them take an approach to the job that is a little different,” Holland said. “As females, one of the things they bring is a good feel for relationship and communication. That doesn’t always come naturally to young people today. We’ve really been impressed with their relationship and communication skills. They clarify quickly, they communicate effectively, and they engage with all the people around them.

“When they come to the job site, they’re excited to be there,” Holland added. “Their team is elevated because of them being a part of it.”

Construction Ready helps Wanner’s program and others like it by facilitating the Industry Certification (IC) process, conducting teacher training events, and generally serving as a resource to help instructors do their jobs more effectively.

The best teachers, Wanner among them, use their classrooms and labs to simulate realistic work environments and hold their students to the kind of high standards a job site requires.

“He makes sure you will be prepared for going into the field,” Haley said. “He puts a lot of work on you and he wants it to be done the right way, but he’ll always be there for you and help you out when needed.”

Haley and Maddie have proven they’re up to the challenge, and they relish the satisfaction of a career that allows them to work with their hands every day.

On that second point, Haley summed it nicely: “I’d much rather be building something, putting in the hard work, and being exhausted than sitting at a desk all day and typing on a computer.”