In the 1990s, Connie Valliere created Billy the Builder Bear to teach children about the skills, teamwork, and labor required to build a house. Today, the Skilled to Build Michigan Foundation is introducing Billy the Builder Bear to more than 20,000 children across Michigan to help spark early interest in the skilled trades.
This initiative brings together Michigan legislators and professionals working in the construction industry who visit classrooms, when possible, to read the book, distribute copies, and answer students’ questions about careers in the skilled trades.
The Skilled to Build Michigan Foundation is dedicated to increasing awareness of the many career opportunities available in the residential construction industry. As labor shortages continue to impact the field, the Foundation works daily to encourage the next generation to consider careers in construction and skilled trades.
By sharing Billy the Builder Bear Builds a House with elementary students, the Foundation hopes children will begin to see skilled trades as exciting and rewarding career opportunities from an early age.
For more information about Billy the Builder Bear and the Skilled to Build Michigan Foundation, visit
Skilled to Build Michigan Foundation.
