Elma student awarded scholarship to pursue career in construction

The Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW) and the Washington Home Builders Foundation (WHBF) shared with KXRO that they recently awarded Donovan Bishop, an student from Elma attending the University of Washington (UW), a $2,000 scholarship to pursue an electrical and computer engineering degree.

A graduate of Elma High School, the two groups shared that Bishop says he has always had an interest in natural sciences, which led him to the field of engineering. They say that he told them that he has recently become more interested in construction, specifically electrical engineering including power transmission, sustainable energy and control systems pathways.

“Much of engineering is simply making things more efficient, and things dealing with electricity are no different,” Bishop said.

After completing his bachelor’s degree, he hopes to find a career in a high-demand field before eventually working towards a master’s degree.

The award comes during Careers in Construction Month, celebrated across the nation during October to bring awareness to the many rewarding career opportunities available in the residential building industry.

BIAW and the Washington Home Builders Foundation say that they are doing their part to “nurture the future workforce” by investing nearly $80,000 in scholarships and grants to 16 students and 13 construction trades programs across Washington in 2023.

“The residential building industry needs 723,000 new construction workers each year to meet our nation’s current demand,” said BIAW President Gary Wray. “Investing in our future workforce is crucial, and we are so proud of these students and programs for stepping up to fill such an important need.”