unCommon Construction
unCommon Construction is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2015 that runs a semester-long construction apprenticeship for high school students ages 16-20 in New Orleans and Minneapolis, who earn pay, school credit, and a matching Equity Award Scholarship by building actual houses, funded through house sales, industry memberships, and grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersNew Orleans, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What unCommon Construction does
unCommon Construction is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN #47-3623284) founded in 2015 and headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, that runs a semester-long construction apprenticeship for high school students ages 16-20. Apprentices from public schools, homeschools, and youth-serving organizations work together in diverse teams to build a house, earning hourly pay above minimum wage, school internship credit, and — via revenue from each project — a matching Equity Award Scholarship usable for further education, industry certifications, or tools. Through more than 100 hours per semester of work-based learning, participants develop technical trade skills, soft skills, and leadership abilities, with NCCER-certified training classes available for industry-recognized credentials. Since founding, the organization has developed 400+ apprentices and distributed over $400,000 in pay and scholarships, serving approximately 100 apprentices annually.
The organization's revenue model combines three streams: (1) sale of apprentice-built houses on a homebuyers waitlist, (2) recurring tiered memberships in the Greater New Orleans Industry Circle (GNOIC) — Leaders $10,000, Journeyman $5,000, Helpers $2,500 — launched in April 2024 with 17 founding construction companies and trade associations (AGC, ABC), and (3) tax-deductible donations and grants from individuals, foundations (Yass Award, Lowe's Foundation, American Student Assistance, Palmisano Foundation, Boysie Bollinger, GNOF Impact 100), and corporate sponsors (CertainTeed, 84 Lumber, LP Building Solutions, CenterPoint Energy, Zwain Capital). The Capital Campaign funds the unCommon Campus, a community-centered innovation hub under construction in Central City, New Orleans, scheduled to open Fall 2025.
Operations span two markets — New Orleans (headquarters and primary build sites including the N. Roman Street Seventh Ward location) and Minneapolis/Twin Cities (newer site established in 2024) — supported by a 14-member staff led by Founder & CEO Aaron Frumin, with governance by a Board chaired by Sarah Busch (VP of Strategy, Landis Construction). Distribution is direct: apprentices are recruited through schools and youth organizations, houses are sold via a homebuyers waitlist, and donor/partner engagement runs through a Buy-A-Brick campaign, Industry Circle events, and Build To Scale / Hammer and Nails community programs. The organization has earned recognition from Forbes, the Yass Prize (finalist), ACTE, the Catalyze Challenge, and as an After School Ambassador.
unCommon Construction firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- unCommon Construction
- Legal name
- unCommon Construction
- Website
- https://uncommonconstruction.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- unCommon Construction is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2015 that runs a semester-long construction apprenticeship for high school students ages 16-20 in New Orleans and Minneapolis, who earn pay, school credit, and a matching Equity Award Scholarship by building actual houses, funded through house sales, industry memberships, and grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
unCommon Construction industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Workforce Development / Construction Apprenticeship
- NAICS
- Residential Building Construction (2361), New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (236115)
- SIC
- General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Apprenticeships, Internships & Work-Based Learning Programs (BPACANAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD), Residential Affordable Housing Development & Construction (IMAFABAI)
Keywords
Where unCommon Construction is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New Orleans
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
unCommon Construction business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- House/Project Sales Revenue: Revenue generated from the sale of houses and construction projects built by apprentices. This revenue funds apprentice pay and the Equity Award Scholarship matching program.
- Industry Circle Memberships: Annual membership fees from Greater New Orleans Industry Circle (GNOIC) members at three tiers: Leaders ($10,000), Journeyman ($5,000), and Helpers ($2,500).
- Donations and Grants: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors. Organization is 501(c)(3) exempt (EIN #47-3623284).
- Capital Campaign Contributions: Major gifts and brick purchases ($1,000 per brick) supporting unCommon Campus construction.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Apprentice participation is free; apprentices earn pay and scholarships |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
unCommon Construction product offering
Product offeringCore offering
unCommon Construction runs a semester-long paid apprenticeship program in which high school students ages 16-20 build a house as a diverse team, earning hourly wages, school internship credit, and a matching Equity Award Scholarship for further education or trade tools. Revenue from each completed house funds apprentice pay and scholarships, while the organization supplements funding through Industry Circle memberships, donations, and grants. Programs operate in New Orleans and Minneapolis (Twin Cities).
Product overview
unCommon Construction is a 501(c)(3) non-profit youth development organization that operates a construction-based apprenticeship program. The core offering is a semester-long apprenticeship where high school students (ages 16-20) earn hourly pay and school credit while building houses. The organization offers multiple interconnected programs: the High School Apprenticeship Program as the central product, Equity Award Scholarships as an apprentice benefit, unCommon Houses as the tangible output, Greater New Orleans Industry Circle (GNOIC) as an industry partnership network, and NCCER Classes for certification. Additional offerings include the unCommon Campus (community hub opening Fall 2025), Buy-A-Brick Campaign for campus fundraising, Industry Circle for partner engagement, and Hammer and Nails/Build To Scale programs for community involvement.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Greater New Orleans Industry Circle (GNOIC): A network of construction industry leaders working collaboratively to empower regional youth development programs, launched in April 2024 with 17 founding member companies.
- unCommon Campus
Products and services
- High School Apprenticeship Program A semester-long, paid work-based learning program for high school students ages 16-20 from public schools, homeschools, and youth-serving organizations. Diverse apprentice teams build a house from start to finish, earning above-minimum-wage hourly pay, school internship credit, career awareness, technical and soft skills, and leadership development through more than 100 hours of hands-on work per semester.
- Equity Award Scholarship A matching scholarship funded by revenue from each construction project, awarded to apprentices for further education, industry certifications, or the tools needed for long-term employment.
- unCommon Houses Residential homes built by apprentices during the High School Apprenticeship Program and made available for purchase to qualified homebuyers via the Homebuyers Waitlist.
- unCommon Campus A community-centered innovation hub and headquarters under construction in Central City, New Orleans, scheduled to open Fall 2025. Provides space for the growing team and host trainings and workshops for families, educators, and industry members.
- Greater New Orleans Industry Circle (GNOIC) A network of construction companies collaborating to support regional youth development programs, with tiered annual memberships enabling partner engagement through volunteer build days, field trips, hiring fairs, mentorship opportunities, and lunch-and-learn sessions. Founded April 2024 with 17 founding member companies.
- NCCER Classes NCCER-certified construction training classes offered at unCommon Construction, providing industry-recognized credentialing for youth apprentices and supporting skills certification.
- Buy-A-Brick Campaign A capital campaign fundraising initiative supporting construction of the unCommon Campus, with bricks available for $1,000 donations featuring contributor names on a donor wall.
Quantifiable outcome
- 400 apprentices developed since 2015
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use unCommon Construction
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles3 records
unCommon Construction technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
unCommon Construction partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Landis ConstructioncoreLandis Construction serves as GNOIC co-chair and founding Leaders-tier member ($10,000). Sarah Busch, VP of Strategy at Landis Construction, chairs unCommon Construction's Board of Directors.
- Ryan Gootee General ContractorscoreRyan Gootee General Contractors serves as GNOIC co-chair and founding Leaders-tier member ($10,000). President Michael DeGruy is GNOIC co-chair.
- LEMOINEcoreLEMOINE is a founding Leaders-tier member ($10,000) of GNOIC. President William Lemoine has publicly endorsed the organization's mission.
- RNGDcoreRNGD is a founding Leaders-tier member ($10,000) of GNOIC. CEO Wes Palmisano also serves as President of the Palmisano Foundation, which supports the program.
- Louisiana Associated General Contractors (AGC)coreAGC serves as GNOIC co-chair through Andre Kelly, VP of Member Projects. AGC has supported unCommon Construction since its infancy and views it as one of its proudest efforts.
- Associated Builders and Contractors - New Orleans/Bayou Chapter (ABC-NO/BC)coreABC-NO/BC serves as GNOIC co-chair through President and CEO Jeb Bruneau. Partnership focuses on workforce development for the construction industry.
- CertainTeedcoreCertainTeed, a subsidiary of Saint-Gobain North America, provides building materials (Grace Ice & Water Shield underlayment and shingles) for apprentice-built houses in New Orleans and Minneapolis. Also supplying materials for unCommon Campus construction.
- AOS Interior EnvironmentsminorJourneyman-tier GNOIC member ($5,000). Eve Arnold, Director of Team Development at AOS, serves on unCommon Construction's Board of Directors.
- Gallo MechanicalminorJourneyman-tier GNOIC member ($5,000).
- Roof-TechminorJourneyman-tier GNOIC member ($5,000).
- FrischhertzminorJourneyman-tier GNOIC member ($5,000).
- CenterPoint EnergyminorCorporate supporter that has shown up with incredible generosity for unCommon Construction's Twin Cities cohort, including welcoming apprentices into their offices for industry conversations.
- LP Building SolutionsminorCorporate sponsor supporting unCommon Construction's operations.
- 84 LumberminorCorporate sponsor providing materials support for construction projects.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
unCommon Construction competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SkillsUSA: National nonprofit serving middle school, high school, and college students preparing for careers in trade, technical, and skilled service occupations. Comparable career-and-technical-education youth focus, with a national chapter model.
- Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing tuition-free tech training and career advancement for adults from underserved communities. Comparable earn-while-you-learn workforce model for underrepresented populations, though focused on technology.
- Home Builders Institute (HBI): National nonprofit affiliated with NAHB providing skilled trades training and education, including for youth and underrepresented populations in residential construction. Direct comparable as a construction-focused youth workforce nonprofit.
- Year Up: Workforce development nonprofit providing young adults (ages 18–24) with six-month training and corporate internships leading to job placements. Comparable work-based learning philosophy applied to a different industry (tech/business vs. construction).
- YouthBuild USA: National nonprofit running construction-based apprenticeship programs for low-income youth ages 16–24. Most direct comparable — same youth demographic, same construction-as-training model, same earn-while-you-learn structure, but at significantly larger national scale.
- Helmets to Hardhats: National nonprofit connecting military veterans with career opportunities in the construction trades. Highly comparable construction-workforce-development mission, though targeted at veterans rather than high-school-aged youth.
- NPower: Nonprofit providing tech-focused workforce development and job placement for young adults from underserved communities. Comparable model (earn-while-you-learn, wraparound supports, employer partnerships), but in technology rather than construction.
Broad incumbents
- Job Corps: Federal workforce training program for low-income youth ages 16–24 offering construction and skilled trades pathways. Far larger scale and government-funded, but shares the youth-construction-training mission.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development nonprofit providing after-school programming, career exploration, and workforce readiness for ages 6–18. Comparable youth-development mission and scale, though broader in scope than construction-specific training.
Others
- National Association of Home Builders (NAHB): Industry trade association representing residential construction firms. Relevant as a national convener of the same construction-industry stakeholders that participate in unCommon's GNOIC, and as a potential partner/scale enabler for the model.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
unCommon Construction social profiles
Digital presenceunCommon Construction compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
unCommon Construction financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
unCommon Construction leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
unCommon Construction funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
unCommon Construction M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about unCommon Construction
What does unCommon Construction do?
unCommon Construction runs a semester-long paid apprenticeship program in which high school students ages 16-20 build a house as a diverse team, earning hourly wages, school internship credit, and a matching Equity Award Scholarship for further education or trade tools. Revenue from each completed house funds apprentice pay and scholarships, while the organization supplements funding through Industry Circle memberships, donations, and grants. Programs operate in New Orleans and Minneapolis (Twin Cities).
Is unCommon Construction a public or private company?
unCommon Construction is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was unCommon Construction founded?
unCommon Construction was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is unCommon Construction based?
unCommon Construction is headquartered in New Orleans, United States, in the North America region.
How does unCommon Construction make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. House/Project Sales Revenue is the primary driver. The others are industry Circle Memberships, donations and Grants and capital Campaign Contributions.
Who are unCommon Construction's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SkillsUSA, Per Scholas, Home Builders Institute (HBI), Year Up, YouthBuild USA, Helmets to Hardhats and NPower. Broad incumbents are Job Corps and Boys & Girls Clubs of America. National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is listed as an others.
Does unCommon Construction have an API?
No public API is recorded for unCommon Construction.
What industry is unCommon Construction in?
unCommon Construction's product category is Youth Workforce Development / Construction Apprenticeship. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACANAK, Apprenticeships, Internships & Work-Based Learning Programs, with a secondary code of EDAAAOAD, Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth). Its NAICS code is 2361 and its SIC code is 1520.