More Than a House: OFS Participants Build Skills, Confidence, and Opportunity
- Jun 5
- 4 min read
On a sunny May afternoon in Sun Prairie, Operation Fresh Start participants stood inside a home they helped build—one that represents far more than finished walls and fresh paint. The house at 1061 Kamperschroer Way in Town Hall Crossing reflects months of skill-building, persistence, and growth, showing what happens when young adults are given the opportunity to build their futures.
This home is the fifth built through the partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Dane County, which combines workforce development and affordable homeownership opportunities to strengthen the community.
"At OFS, we believe all emerging adults are assets in our community, and this home is proof of that belief," Executive Director Brian McMahon said at the open house. "As our community grows, we need every young person to have the opportunity to contribute, succeed, and build a future for themselves."
More Than Construction Training
Visitors touring the finished home could see the craftsmanship in every room, but McMahon encouraged them to notice what the work represents: young adults showing up, learning new skills, and gaining momentum toward a career.
"When you stand here and look at this house, it’s important to remember what you’re actually seeing," he said.
"I see the young people who showed up day after day through Wisconsin’s changing weather, learning new skills, solving problems together, supporting one another, and building something valuable for this community."
Build Academy participants gain paid, hands-on experience in residential and commercial construction while developing workplace skills, earning industry-recognized credentials, and preparing for careers in the skilled trades.
Sun Prairie Mayor Steve Stocker said that experience matters because every task on the job site builds more than technical skill.
"Every wall raised, every measurement taken, every challenge solved represents skills gained, confidence earned, and futures strengthened," Stocker said. "You have not only built a house. You have built experience, resilience, and a pathway toward lasting careers in the trades."
A Participant's Journey
One participant, Tramale, shared how Build Academy helped him develop new skills, confidence, and career goals.
Since joining Build Academy in November, Tramale has learned siding installation, caulking, insulation, drywall installation and finishing, concrete work, and site cleanup.
"I'm thankful for OFS and the opportunity it has given me to learn skills that will eventually help me find a career," Tramale said. "I'm very thankful for all the supervisors who are there for me, support me, and push me to do better."
His experience illustrates how growth often happens one day, one skill, and one challenge at a time.
Build Academy Supervisor Joe Collins pointed to Tramale’s persistence and willingness to learn, describing how he took feedback seriously, strengthened his work habits, and built confidence over time.
"What matters is that you kept getting up and you kept asking for help," Collins told him during the event. "You wanted the feedback, you incorporated it, and here you are."
Collins said Tramale’s progress reflects the kind of transformation OFS strives to create every day: young adults recognizing their potential, taking ownership of their future, and developing the skills employers are looking for.
That kind of growth is exactly what Build Academy is designed to support. Participants enter with varying levels of experience and leave better prepared for careers in the skilled trades.
"We build young people through building houses," McMahon said.
Build Academy serves as a direct pathway into employment. Through industry connections, hands-on training, and mentorship from experienced supervisors, participants gain the skills and confidence needed to enter apprenticeships and careers in construction. Several recent OFS graduates are already working in fields including electrical work, plumbing, and heavy equipment operation.
The Power of Partnership
Stocker praised the collaboration among Operation Fresh Start, Habitat for Humanity of Dane County, local government, and community supporters.
"Together, we are addressing two important needs at once," Stocker said. "Expanding access to quality housing and creating meaningful workforce development opportunities for emerging adults."
State Representative Andrew Hysell described the project as a model for communities across Wisconsin.
“This is a model that I call nonprofit entrepreneurship,” Hysell said.
“We need more skilled workers, and we need more affordable housing," Hysell added. "OFS uses innovation and creates partnerships that add real value and meet unmet needs in our community. Strong nonprofit community organizations are working with government and the private sector to build this house, and I think this is a model that needs to grow in Dane County and across the state.”
Building Futures and Communities
The partnership between OFS and Habitat for Humanity of Dane County shows how housing and workforce development can reinforce each other in practical, lasting ways.
Habitat for Humanity of Dane County CEO Hillary Parker praised the collaboration and the impact it creates for both participants and future homeowners.
"When OFS builds this house as a vehicle to empower these amazing youth and offer them a path to a stable and well-paying career, we're doing something powerful together," Parker said.
As guests toured the finished home, participants pointed out rooms they had insulated, walls they had finished, and concrete they had poured. Soon, a family will move into the house and begin building memories of their own.
For the young adults who built it, the project has already left a lasting mark. Along the way, they gained skills, confidence, work experience, and a clearer vision for what comes next.
The house is finished, but their journey is just beginning.
