The Carbon Career & Technical Institute in Jim Thorpe’s vocational offerings include plumbing, carpentry, welding and electrical.

At least one current project at the school incorporates those combined skills.

The vo-tech students are engaged in a multi-year project constructing a modular home. It is being built in two parts, with the first portion nearly completed.

That first half of the home is located inside a large room to the rear of the school. When completed, it will be towed outdoors, and then the second half of the project will commence.

In charge of the project is Jeff Hazleton, who is beginning his 10th year as a carpentry instructor and who also helps with masonry projects. He said the goal is to have the all-wood structure – each half is 25-by-50 feet – finished by the end of the 2024 school year.

Hazleton said when the past year’s students had arrived at the school, only some bare framing existed. “There were no walls, no ceiling joists.”

While the work was proceeding, students from the electrical shop installed the wiring. He said plumbing is in the process of being added.

It’s not the first house project at the vo-tech.

In years past, students have built complete houses, as well as modular homes.

This particular project is for a customer in Lehighton. After the second half is completed, both parts will be moved on-site where a hinge-style roof will be installed.

He said the roof must be lifted onto the structure with a crane, which would be very difficult to do at the school.

Among the students working on the home this past school year is Daniel Geissinger, 16, of Palmerton. He said he enrolled at the vo-tech because his career plans are “to get a hands-on job.” He is enrolled in the carpentry shop.

Despite this being his first time doing hands-on carpentry, under Hazleton’s guidance he was able to install the roof ceiling frame and wall frames, as well as add a unique interior wall.

He obviously obtained satisfaction and confidence doing the project, saying while looking over it, “I think I have done a pretty good job.”

The students work on the home in small groups, with another instructor, Wally O’Donnell overseeing them. O’Donnell is also experienced in the home construction field. On Geissinger’s team were Tyler Beers, Caleb Gaffney and John Possatti.

Hazleton explained that this home is unique from past projects “because we’re putting all hickory on the wall instead of sheet rock. That’s when Daniel comes into play. He does much of that work.”

Geissinger said he was intimidated with the project when he first started but thanks to the guidance from Hazleton and other teachers, “I got over a lot of fears in the class.”

One such fear was ladders, which he no longer minds climbing. He also was nervous about using saws, but now handles them like a pro.

He said he has even purchased personal tools to do some projects including constructing a bench.

The first half of the building has bedrooms and living room. The second half, which will be started this coming school year, will have the kitchen and dining room area.

The ceilings in the bedroom were constructed of hardwood; pine tongue-and-groove boards. A final part of the project this past school year was installing windows and siding.

Hazleton explained that one of the complexities in constructing a two-part modular home versus a regular home is that everything with both units must be perfectly aligned. A mere inch or less off could create problems.

The carpentry teacher said he’s happy to afford his students the opportunity of a modular home project.

“I tell these kids it’s nice that they get to build a home and see how it’s done. They do not only the carpentry and framing but electric, plumbing and even HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning).

While constructing the home obviously consumes a lot of time for Hazleton, students still work on other projects.

For example, right next to where the modular home project is occurring are completed picnic tables with a complex design of attached legs. “We actually get quite a few orders for these,” he said.