CCDI - Construction Career Development Initiative

What CCDI - Construction Career Development Initiative does

CCDI (Construction Career Development Initiative) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit workforce development organization founded in 2015 by Clayco in the wake of the Ferguson unrest, with a mission to bring diversity to the design and construction industry by mentoring and exposing minority, underrepresented, and underserved students to careers in construction. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri with 6 employees, the organization operates across five U.S. cities — St. Louis, Chicago, Phoenix, Atlanta, and South Bend — and serves high school students (and, in Chicago, underemployed adults aged 19-25) from underserved communities. Programs are delivered at no cost to participants.

CCDI's product suite is an integrated, human-delivered pathway rather than a technology platform. Core programs include monthly Saturday Academy sessions at active construction sites and partner schools, Jobsite Tours (Skye on 6th, X Phoenix II, Olive Crossings, Delmar DivINe, Spoede Elementary, Topgolf Midtown, R&R Marketplace), the Build Our Future scholarship program (cumulative $650,000+ across 74 recipients), a long-term Mentorship Program, Senior Signing Day, and Career Placement Services connecting graduates to apprenticeship and full-time trades employment. Cumulative outcomes include 170 individuals placed in full-time construction trades employment and 4 college graduates from Ranken Technical College's trades programs who secured full-time employment. There is no proprietary software, app, or AI/ML technology layer described.

Revenue is generated through corporate sponsorships, golf tournament proceeds, material donations, and direct scholarship funding from construction industry partners. The organization lists 17+ named strategic, financial, and GTM partners led by founding sponsor Clayco, with major championship-tier sponsors including PayneCrest Electric, icon Mechanical, S.M. Wilson & Co., Keeley Companies, ARCO/Murray, and Brinkmann Constructors. Distribution occurs through direct school CTE partnerships, monthly Saturday Academy sessions, jobsite tours, industry events (AGC of Missouri Build My Future, Construction Forum's Yeah I Built That, Careers in Construction Month), and an annual golf tournament fundraising event. Pricing to program participants is zero; the model is fully sponsor-funded.

Name

CCDI - Construction Career Development Initiative

Legal name

Construction Career Development Initiative

Website

https://ccdi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CCDI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2015 by Clayco that runs a workforce development program for underrepresented high school students and underemployed adults in five U.S. cities (St. Louis, Chicago, Phoenix, Atlanta, South Bend), delivering Saturday Academy training, jobsite tours, scholarships, mentorship, and trades career placement funded by construction industry sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Mentorship & Coaching (Career, Academic, Industry-Specific) (EDAMAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Apprenticeships, Internships & Work-Based Learning Programs (BPACANAK), Workforce & Job-Seeker Services (Community-Based) (EDAAAFAM), Workforce & Career Transition Noncredit Programs (EDAAAEAC)

Keywords

• Construction workforce development
• Trade career training
• Apprenticeship placement
• Construction scholarship programs
• Jobsite exposure programs

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Corporate Sponsorships and Donations: CCDI generates revenue through corporate sponsorships from construction companies including Clayco, PayneCrest Electric, icon Mechanical, and others. These sponsors fund program operations, scholarships, and events. Companies sponsor golf tournaments, donate materials, and provide financial support.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CCDI operates a workforce development program that exposes underrepresented high school students to construction trade careers through monthly Saturday Academy sessions, jobsite tours, mentorship pairings, and Build Our Future scholarships. Founded by Clayco in 2015 and headquartered in St. Louis, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit also provides career placement services and tool scholarships, operating across five U.S. cities (St. Louis, Chicago, Phoenix, Atlanta, South Bend). All program services are provided free of charge to participants and funded through corporate sponsorships, donations, and an annual golf tournament.

Product overview

CCDI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit workforce development organization that operates as a unified program rather than a platform architecture. The organization offers an integrated suite of career development services centered around the Construction Career Development Initiative program, which includes Saturday Academy sessions for hands-on training, Jobsite Tours for real-world exposure, Build Our Future Scholarships for financial support, Mentorship Programs for career guidance, and Career Placement Services connecting graduates with employment. The program focuses on underrepresented individuals in the construction industry and operates across five city chapters: St. Louis (headquarters), Chicago, Phoenix, Atlanta, and South Bend.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 170 individuals placed in full-time construction trades employment
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• ClaycocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Clayco founded CCDI in 2015 following Ferguson unrest. As founding sponsor, Clayco provides executive leadership (Tom Sieckhaus, EVP), hosts Saturday Academy sessions, sponsors scholarships, and facilitates jobsite tours across all locations. Clayco's projects including Skye on 6th and Delmar DivINe serve as primary learning venues.
• PayneCrest ElectricmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerTop sponsor of CCDI's 8th Annual Golf Tournament. Major champion of the program alongside Clayco and icon Mechanical, providing financial support and industry engagement.
• icon MechanicalmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerTop sponsor of CCDI's 8th Annual Golf Tournament. Major program champion providing financial support and workforce development commitment.
• S. M. Wilson & Co.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted April 2022 Saturday Academy session at Spoede Elementary project. Provides ongoing jobsite access for student tours and hands-on learning experiences.
• Keeley CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted February 2023 Saturday Academy at Olive Crossings project. Vice President Brian Peter and Superintendent Brian Pate provided career presentations and project tours.
• ARCO/MurraycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted April 2023 Saturday Academy at Topgolf Midtown project. Project Manager Jeff Schnoebelen and Safety Supervisor Ty Kent led presentations and site tours.
• Brinkmann ConstructorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on R&R Marketplace project in Dellwood, inviting North Technical students to meet MBE/WBE contractors and learn about construction careers.
• Wies Drywall and Construction Corp.supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonated materials for Trades Day demo stations at North Technical Saturday Academy sessions.
• Flooring Systems Inc.supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonated construction materials to North Technical Construction Trades program and Saturday Academy demo stations.
• St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted Construction Forum's 2nd Annual Yeah I Built That event at Sumner High School with 169 student participants and 18 exhibitors.
• Laborers UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChicago location partnership providing union apprentice program information and Laborers Training Center tours for Pride Roc participants.
• Pride Roc CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChicago community organization serving young adults aged 19-25 seeking immediate employment in construction. Partnership includes program visits, union pathway discussions, and workforce entry support.
• Delmar DivINecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMixed-use development project hosting CCDI student tours and Earth Day community service. CCDI alumni worked on the renovation project.
• Ranken Technical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical college partner for Richard Boyd Jr. Memorial Trades Scholarship recipients pursuing plumbing and other trades pathways. First college graduates celebrated in 2023.
• AGC of MissouricoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation of General Contractors partnered on Build My Future Gateway Region Construction Career Day at St. Louis Community College.
• City of PhoenixsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity inspectors participated in X Phoenix II jobsite tour, allowing students to learn about municipal permitting and inspection careers.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BuildOn: Nonprofit engaging inner-city youth in service-learning and construction-related projects while addressing workforce and education gaps. Comparable to CCDI in combining youth development, construction exposure, and career pathway services for underserved urban communities.
• YouthBuild USA: National nonprofit operating YouthBuild programs that provide construction trades training, GED prep, and leadership development to low-income youth ages 16–24. CCDI mirrors YouthBuild's target demographic and construction-career pathway model, though YouthBuild is federally funded and much larger.
• Helmets to Hardhats: National nonprofit that places transitioning military members into union construction trades apprenticeships. Direct peer to CCDI — both serve underrepresented populations into registered apprenticeship pathways with contractor/union partners, and both are non-tuition programs funded by industry sponsors.
• ACE Mentor Program: National nonprofit introducing high school students to architecture, construction, and engineering careers through mentoring and scholarships. Direct peer to CCDI's Saturday Academy model and scholarship pathway, though ACE focuses on the design/engineering side of the built environment.

Broad incumbents

• National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER): Industry-wide nonprofit that develops standardized construction craft training curricula and credentialing used across the U.S. NCCER is the dominant curriculum and certification backbone for construction apprenticeship programs; CCDI's OSHA certifications and apprenticeship placement rely on this broader ecosystem.
• Job Corps: Federal workforce development program operated by the U.S. Department of Labor providing free education and vocational training — including construction trades — to young adults ages 16–24. Job Corps shares CCDI's target demographic and free noncredit training model but at vastly larger scale as a federal program.
• Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC): National trade association representing merit-shop contractors with a major apprenticeship and craft training division. ABC's apprenticeship programs and workforce development efforts overlap with CCDI's contractor-facing workforce pipeline mission and frequently partner with similar DEI-focused initiatives.
• SkillsUSA: National nonprofit serving middle school, high school, and college students preparing for careers in trade, technical, and skilled service occupations. SkillsUSA's CTE programs reach comparable student demographics and operate in similar high school and technical college channels as CCDI.

Others

• Mott Community College Workforce Development Programs: Michigan-based community college with noncredit workforce training programs in skilled trades and construction pathways. Represents the community-college/technical-school channel that CCDI partners with (e.g., Ranken Technical College) for credential and apprenticeship progression.

Regional players

• Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT): Regional nonprofit preparing women and underrepresented individuals for skilled trades careers through apprenticeship support and pre-apprenticeship training. Operates in Chicago where CCDI also has a chapter; comparable pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship placement model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ccdicommunity
• Facebookfacebook.com/CCDI-Construction-Career-Development-Initiative-1310423785737688
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ccdicommunity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CCDI - Construction Career Development Initiative