The ACE Mentor Program is made up of companies in the design and construction industry who want to provide career direction to students interested in learning more about these fields. Many of these companies are well known in the design and construction industry, and some have offices throughout the country or even international offices. It also includes leading schools and universities with programs geared especially towards students who want to pursue design careers.

ACE has also partnered with many apprentice and training programs for students who are interested in the skilled crafts.

ACE will give you insight into the integrated construction industry including but not limited to:

• Architecture
• Landscape Architecture
• Interior Design
• Planning
• Civil Engineering
• Structural Engineering
• Geotechnical Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Construction Management
• Skilled Trades

Career guidance: You will be exposed to many disciplines and specialties of engineering, architecture, and design, which will help you decide which one is right for you. Your mentors have already made the decisions that you are facing, and they can help you with your decisions.

Challenges: Working in a team environment, and guided by your mentors, you will be challenged to develop solutions to design problems and then to present your solutions to other students at the end-of-year event.

Facilitates transition to workplace: Becoming familiar with the office environment of your mentors will help prepare you for working in that type of setting.

Enhances skills: Working on your project will help you develop important skills such as problem solving, drawing, writing, and presentation. Depending on your team, you may also be exposed to electronic drafting software, and other design and analysis software used in the industry.

Possible summer internship jobs: Firms are always looking for motivated interns. Your mentors will be able to help you apply for a position.

Possible scholarships: Both the national organization and affiliates offer scholarships to graduates of the ACE program who pursue design careers.  The scholarships can be use for 2 or 4 year college or trade school programs.

Possible summer camp opportunities: ACE partners with summer camps around the country that offer additional education into our industry.

You will usually meet at the offices of your mentors. The meeting place will rotate among the firms that are on your team, so that you get the chance to see a variety of workplaces. Your mentors will give you directions to all the meetings.

When it is not possible to meet at the mentors’ offices, the team will pick a conveniently located meeting place, possibly at the school or a community center.

You will get the most out of ACE if you attend each session and field trip, and if you spend additional time developing your team’s project.

Occasional absences are to be expected. If for some reason you can’t make it to a meeting, you should let your mentors know.

If, after a few sessions, you find that ACE is not for you, you should tell your mentors.

The End-of-Year Presentations event is the culmination of the ACE season. All teams attend this event, and students can invite a family member, a friend, or a teacher.

Each team presents their project to the other teams. The students explain the problem that they were trying to solve, how they approached it, and they present their solution(s). Students show their models, drawings, electronic graphics, or any other material that they developed.

This event also serves as a graduation ceremony, and special awards are given.