Originally Published as: Building Interest In Skilled Trades

Max Builds is a series of children’s books from Shield Wall Media—the publishing company behind Metal Roofing Magazine and several other B2B construction publications. These books are designed to introduce kids to the construction trades in a fun, engaging, and age-appropriate way.

The concept is simple and memorable: Max, the official Shield Wall Media office dog, has decided to document his “career” in construction. The result is a growing collection of stories that introduce young readers to different construction paths through Max’s adventures on the jobsite.

More than a dozen titles are planned, with the goal of releasing one new book each quarter. Each book highlights a specific segment of the construction industry already covered in our B2B magazines.

The first title, Max Builds a Metal Roof, was released last fall. The second book, Max Builds a Pole Barn, is scheduled for release in late January, with Max Builds a Barndominium next on the publishing calendar.

We are giving these books away. Whether you’d like a copy or two for your family, or several to donate to local schools or libraries, just let us know. This is an opportunity for all of us in the construction industry to share our passion for the trades and introduce kids to viable, rewarding career paths.

If you know of schools, churches, libraries, or organizations that would like multiple copies, please contact publisher Gary Reichert. Our goal is simple: get Max Builds a Metal Roof and Max Builds a Pole Barn into the hands of children—and, hopefully, inspire the next generation of tradespeople.

If workforce development is a concern for you or your organization, Gary can also share information about sponsorship opportunities to help expand the reach of the Max Builds series.

Gary Reichert