Date: Summer 2025
The Electrical Systems and Sustainability Summer Camp, hosted by WeLab doctoral student Marwan Shagar, continues to grow as a transformative program for high school students from low-income families. Sponsored by Metropower and Georgia Tech, the camp offers enrollment for just $20, making technical education and career exploration widely accessible to students who might not otherwise have such opportunities.
Launched in 2024 with 12 participants, the camp doubled in size in its second year, welcoming 22 students. With the support of the IFMA Foundation, the program blended classroom learning with guest speakers and site visits, giving students first-hand exposure to electrical systems in residential buildings. Students learned wiring, troubleshooting, interpreting diagrams, and explored concepts in sustainability, green building design, and trade school career pathways.
This year’s program expanded its emphasis on Facility Management (FM) — increasing FM content from 20% to 40% with additional support from IFMA Atlanta and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Students explored facility management as a profession, including roles, responsibilities, and industry certification systems like LEED, alongside lessons on sustainability and the green economy. Construction Ready, another program partner, introduced participants to SkillsUSA, reinforcing the value of skilled trades and trade school pathways.
Looking ahead to 2026, Shagar envisions increasing FM content to 50%, dedicating an entire week of the camp to Facility Management. With Metropower encouraged by the program’s success and open to future collaborations, this expansion could serve as a pilot for a dedicated FM summer camp, further solidifying the pipeline for diverse talent in the built environment.