“Knowing the labor force, the retirement statistics, and the employment gaps in the trade industries, there is satisfaction in knowing that I am helping to address the needs of our society through education and helping students find their paths in life.”
Christopher Pilling teaches Construction Management at Burrillville High School in Burrillville, Rhode Island. Pilling learned he loved working with his hands in high school; his coursework in woodshop, architectural engineering, and mechanical engineering ignited his interest in school. While he worked in architectural woodworking and hardwood floor installation and refinishing, Pilling felt called to inspire other students just as his own high school teacher inspired him, so he earned his teaching credential from Rhode Island College and became a trades educator.
In his Construction Management pathway, Pilling emphasizes collaboration across programs, with peers, and through industry partners. His students participate in the annual Rhode Island Builders Association Home Show, where they design, build, and display finished projects then seen by 15,000 attendees. In 2024, they built two playhouses for children with chronic illnesses, working with fellow students in other CTE pathways. Pilling also creates team-based learning opportunities, like a project with the environmental science pathway to create a well-utilized 3D topography map of the school grounds. Through the Home Builders Institute curriculum, which includes 80 work-based learning hours, construction students can receive certification as a pre-apprentice in carpentry and meet with industry professionals to learn about career options. Pilling equips his program graduates with the skills, work experience, and teamwork for success in their chosen educational and career paths.
Notes of Excellence
- Pilling was named a 2023 SkillsUSA Outstanding Career and Technical Educator.
- 20 students a year graduate from the Construction Management pathway and 98 percent earn certifications such as OSHA 10 and the Home Builders Institute (HBI) carpentry pre-apprenticeship certification.
- As part of the Rhode Island Builders Association, Rhode Island Architecture and Construction Advisory Group, and the Home Builders Institute group, Pilling stays up to date on the latest in the field, and meets with cross-sector industry partners on industry gaps, skill development, and work-based learning opportunities.