CERTAINTEED SUPPORTS UNCOMMON CONSTRUCTION’S NATIONAL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

The National Manufacturer Provides Youth with Materials to Build Homes in New Orleans and Minneapolis

NEW ORLEANS, LA, January 23, 2024— unCommon Construction is pleased to announce an exciting new partnership with CertainTeed, a subsidiary of Saint-Gobain North America and leading manufacturer of sustainable building materials, has teamed up with them to support their apprenticeship programs in New Orleans and Minneapolis. unCommon Construction uses the build process to empower youth with the skills, network, resources, and experience to lead the workforce after high school or college. CertainTeed is providing important building materials for home construction projects led by unCommon Construction’s apprentices.

“unCommon Construction is so grateful for CertainTeed’s support of our impact on youth development,” says Executive Director Aaron Frumin. “A donation of building materials like this can be a game-changer for our program and also provides our apprentices with the opportunity to see how much members of the construction industry want them to succeed.'“

Over a semester, unCommon Construction apprentices, aged 16-20, learn valuable trade skills and “soft skills” while building a house or another project. Currently, the organization serves 75 apprentices each year at its headquarters in New Orleans and at its new site in Minneapolis. CertainTeed’s first donation of Grace Ice & Water Shield™ underlayment and shingles is being used to build a new house on N. Roman Street in the Seventh Ward of New Orleans with 25 apprentices.

“CertainTeed is committed to serving communities across the country,” says CertainTeed Siding Vice President & General Manager and Saint-Gobain North America Foundation President Joe Bondi. “We know how important it is to train and develop the next generation of leaders in the construction industry. That’s why we’re proud to support the incredible young leaders at unCommon Construction.”

CertainTeed will also supply roofing materials for unCommon Construction’s new campus building located on Freret Street in the Central City neighborhood of New Orleans. The unCommon Campus will provide a space for increased programming for apprentices and community members and will be the headquarters for the organization’s continued growth and expansion to other cities. 

unCommon construction alumnus and general contractor josh bolds stands with a donation of goods from certainteed

Through innovative and sustainable building solutions made possible through its comprehensive offering of interior and exterior products, CertainTeed, founded in 1904 and headquartered in Malvern, Pennsylvania, is at the forefront of industry advancements that are making the world a better home. With building science as its foundation, CertainTeed is transforming how the industry builds – making it easier than ever to create high-performance, energy-efficient solutions for where we live, work and play.

A subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, one of the world's largest and oldest building products companies, CertainTeed has more than 6,900 employees and more than 60 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada. The group had total sales of approximately $5.6 billion in 2021. www.certainteed.com.