Going Up: Dan Beard Council plans skilled trades center for Boy Scouts at Camp Friedlander
As Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky grapple with a tight labor market amid low unemployment, the Dan BeardCouncil is stepping in to familiarize youths with skilled trades as potential future careers.
Toward that end, the council plans to build a new skilled trades center at its 550-acre Camp Friedlander campgrounds. Named for the Boy Scoutsco-founder, the Dan Beard Council is the region’s chapter for the more than 110-year-old youth program.
The basics of the Dan Beard Council’s planned Skilled Trades Center
Address: 581 Ibold Road, Loveland, Ohio (on the Camp Friedlander campgrounds)
Building type: Industrial
Developers/architect/contractor: BDHP Architecture
Size: 12,000 square feet
Estimated cost: $2.5 million
What you need to know about the project
The council said it's responding to a “skilled trades crisis” that leaves local businesses struggling to fill job openings even as many high school graduates seek alternative career paths. The council wants to build a dedicated facility to train youth in plumbing, electricity, welding, carpentry and automotive maintenance.
The center will feature more than eight to 10 “bays” or sections dedicated to various types of specialized training. Council leaders believe the initiative can educate and inspire thousands of scouts to consider skilled trades.
“Dan Beard Council Scouting is the largest youth organization in the region and we believe workforce readiness starts with us,” CEO Andy Zahn told The Enquirer.
The training center would stand among other key facilities at Camp Friedlander, including its dining hall, trading post, cabins, Lake Marge, and the Eagles Nest meeting room and pavilion. The facility would also be available to the community and offer participating organizations a chance to connect with potential future employees.
Where the project stands and what’s ahead
The council is seeking final approval from local officials for their building plans. Construction is slated to begin late this summer or early this fall. The facility is tentatively scheduled to open in June of 2025.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Dan Beard Council wants a 'skilled trades' center for local Boy Scouts
