National Programs
Outstanding Mentor Award
Affiliates can nominate one mentor for this award.
Eligibility: One previous program year and current year participation. Registered and marked active in database.
Schedule:
11/03/25 – Nominations Open
01/30/26 – Nomination Deadline
03/13/26 – Winners Announced
04/27/26 – Recognition at National Board Meeting
Exemplary School Champion Award
Each year, affiliates can submit one exemplary school champion to be recognized nationally.
Eligibility: One previous program year and current year participation.
Schedule:
11/03/25 – Submittals Open
01/30/26 – Submittal Deadline
03/13/26 – Exemplary School Champions Announced
ACE National Scholarship
Affiliates can nominate one student to apply for the national scholarship. These funds are to be used for post-secondary studies.
ACE National Trades Stipend
Affiliates can nominate one student to apply for the national Trades Stipend. These funds are to be used for apprentice fees, tools and other trades related needs.
Schedule for National Scholarship and Trades Stipend:
- 11/14 – Nominations Open
- 2/3 – Student Application Deadline
- 3/30 – Winners Announced
ACE – CIRT National Design and Construction Competition (20th ANNIVERSARY)
The annual competition is run and hosted by CIRT (Construction Industry Roundtable). Affiliates do not have a limit on the number of teams that can submit. Teams must register for the competition and submit on the CIRT platform.
Eligibility: All team members must be marked active in the database with a completed parent consent form or current background check for the current program year.
Schedule:
September 1, 2025
Competition Challenges + Details LIVE here
Competition Packet (PDF of rules) available for download on here on the CIRT site and here on the Tools site
January 1, 2026
Slideroom Submission Portal Live
March 13, 2026
DEADLINE: Submissions due by midnight on this date
March 23, 2026
Preliminary Jury Results Announced
April 27, 2026
Finalist Presentations in Washington D.C – all 9 finalist teams!
Trades Day
The purpose is to introduce trades to students for exposure to the entire industry and not just a part of it. Recruitment of students, mentors, volunteers, sponsors, donors, & community partners. Introduce ACE and the mission to the community and bolster relationships within the AEC communities.
Stanley Black and Decker Trades Day Subgrant Application Link
High School Externships
Summer Work Experiences which include high school externships are an essential part of the ACE program to excite young people about opportunities in the construction space. Each summer, high school students are eligible to apply for a work experience with one of the participating firms. To find out about available opportunities, please contact your team leader or affiliate leader.
What employers are saying
“The ACE internship experience was an honor to be apart of, and the ACE student assigned to us was a pleasure. Our student was willing to learn, professional, and had an excellent work ethic. We would be more than happy to take on an ACE student in the future.”
What students are saying
“This externship has completely opened my eyes as to how exciting a career in engineering or construction can be. I ended up learning so much that I will hopefully be able to pass on to my ACE team and peers…”
Summer Camps
Summer Camps are exciting opportunities to keep ACE students engaged year-round. There are local and National camp options all around the country. Camps offer hands-on projects, mentorship from industry professionals, and real-world exposure to the Built Environment. Campers gain valuable technical and teamwork skills and build connections for their career pathways.
Hall of Honors
Coming Soon!
Transformative Partner Program
The Transformative Partner Program (TPP), a 1 to 1 mentoring program for ACE alumni, was established in 2022 to support and track ACE’s strategic goal of “throughput”. Through TPP, ACE alumni are paired with an industry mentor who provides support throughout post-secondary education and ultimately helps them achieve their goal of entering as a full-time employee of the AEC industry.