Building Skills.Building Hope.
From the first construction classes to home improvements and Facility Maintenance training, our story is a story of people learning, growing, and opening doors for one another.
- 2013December · The Lantern Project
It Starts With A Connection.
We begin operating as part of The Lantern Project, connecting neighbors in Clarkston with opportunities to build skills and careers.
Churches, volunteers, craft educators, and industry leaders come together around a shared purpose: helping people put their abilities to work.
- 2014The First Construction Class
Learning By Doing.
The first class brings practical trades training to students preparing for work in construction. Experienced people share their knowledge, and students begin building a foundation for their next career step.
Hands-on learning becomes a lasting part of the Tekton story.
Early hands-on trades training · From Tekton’s 2017 photo archive. - 2017A New Name · A Local Identity
Becoming Tekton.
The organization takes the name Tekton Career Training as it develops an independent identity and strengthens its local relationships.
Tekton is a Greek word associated with a builder or carpenter. The name reflects our roots in the trades and the Christian faith that inspired the work, including the example of Jesus as a craftsman.
People at the heart of the early work · class group from Tekton’s 2017 website archive. - 2020The Refcode Chapter
More Pathways To Opportunity.
Refcode joins Tekton, bringing a technology-training chapter shaped by coding instruction, mentoring, and professional connections.
The work reinforces an idea that runs throughout our history: useful skills grow stronger with people beside you.
- 2021–2026Empower Clarkston
Skills That Serve Neighbors.
Empower Clarkston pairs workforce training with residential energy-efficiency improvements. Students gain supervised practical experience while helping residents improve their homes.
Across the program, 60 homeowners and 60 students are served. Training and community benefit become part of the same story.
Explore Empower Clarkston →
Putting skills to work in local homes · Empower Clarkston photo archive. - 2025–2026Facility Maintenance
A New Way To Practice.
The Facility Maintenance program brings hands-on workshops together with digital coursework and VR simulations. Students practice electrical, plumbing, and HVAC fundamentals with support from instructors and volunteers.
Career preparation and employer connections help carry learning beyond the classroom.
Explore Facility Maintenance training →
VR learning and hands-on instruction · Facility Maintenance program archive. - 2026People Carry The Work Forward
The Next Chapter Is Personal.
Students, instructors, volunteers, donors, and employers each help shape what happens next.
For Sayed Hussaini, an employer connection during the final weeks of class led to a Facility Maintenance Technician role earning $25 an hour. His story shows what practical training and a connection to work can make possible.
Connect graduates with opportunity →
Learning together, moving forward · Facility Maintenance group photo from the 2026 website archive.
Read The Reporting.
Hear The Conversations.
Follow the story through coverage of Empower Clarkston, an early radio interview from The Lantern Project years, and conversations with Luke about social impact.
Explore News & Media →Training That Benefits Students And Neighbors.
A feature on Empower Clarkston brings together staff perspectives, participant experience, and the impact of improvements in local homes.
Read the feature →Our Values Carry
Across Every Chapter.
Training methods develop. Programs grow. The commitment to people continues.
There Is A Place
For You In This Story.
Give, volunteer, share your experience, or connect a graduate with an opportunity.