Columbus, OH May 16, 2026 --(PR.com)-- Delaware Area Career Center becomes first school partner in workforce development initiative.

OLIO Development Group launched Ground Up, a new community engagement program connecting high school vocational students with active commercial construction sites across the company's project portfolio.

The program kicked off with two site visits in partnership with Delaware Area Career Center's Construction Technology program. Juniors visited the site on April 27 and seniors on May 7 at OLIO's active CAVA restaurant project in Powell, Ohio. Students toured the job site alongside OLIO's Project Managers, Site Managers, and trade partners, seeing framing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and concrete work firsthand.

Delaware Area Career Center, Construction Technology Instructor, Brandon Schwyn said, "Opportunities like these provide students with real world experiences that can be a differentiator for a student looking at multiple career paths. It can help solidify a future path or push a student toward another area they might not have considered."

OLIO donated $500 to the DACC Construction Technology program led by Schwyn. Additionally, every participating student received a Ground Up Kit from OLIO containing professional safety gear, including an OSHA-compliant hard hat, cut-resistant work gloves, safety glasses, hearing protection, a tape measure, construction pencils, and gear from Procore.

During the May 7 visit, Henriikka Niemi, commercial account manager, and Rachel Pettengill, senior customer success engineer from Procore, joined to introduce students to the construction technology used across construction projects worldwide.

"Strong trades mean a strong industry," said Brad Giha, Director of Construction at OLIO Development Group. "These students are going to be the next generation of project managers, electricians, framers, plumbers, and HVAC techs building the future. Ground Up is our way of investing in the communities where we work and giving students a real look at what a career in construction looks like."

The construction industry faces a nationwide shortage of more than 500,000 workers. Ground Up is designed to address that gap at the local level by connecting students with professionals in the field, exposing them to career paths and industry technology, and building relationships between OLIO and the vocational programs training the next workforce.

OLIO Development Group builds restaurants, retail, and commercial projects across the Midwest and Southeast. The company was founded after 17 years of multi-unit franchise operations with Raising Cane's, driven by the need for a development partner that could reliably deliver projects on time and on budget. OLIO now works with brands including Panda Express, Shake Shack, CAVA, Chase, and 7 Brew.

Ground Up will expand to additional vocational schools near OLIO job sites in the future.

Contact Information:
OLIO Development Group
Matt Salts
614-286-2938
Contact via Email
oliodevgrp.com
https://olio-development-group-47085016.hubspotpagebuilder.com/ground-up-an-olio-development-group-program

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