DEATSVILLE, Ala. — Students in J.F. Ingram State Technical College's (ISTC) Cabinetmaking and Carpentry programs are helping shape Alabama history one handcrafted piece at a time.

At Main Campus, students are currently constructing five custom dais, support desks and podiums that will be installed inside Alabama's new State House in Montgomery. The furnishings, ranging from 30 to 60 feet wide, will serve lawmakers, staff and visitors for generations while showcasing the exceptional craftsmanship developed through ISTC's career technical education programs.

The project requires extensive planning, precision and attention to detail. Students build each piece as a complete unit inside the Cabinetmaking and Carpentry shops before engineering it to be disassembled into modular sections for transportation and installation. Every component is carefully hand-finished with a rich mahogany stain prior to delivery.

Now at the halfway point of the project, students have already invested hundreds of hours into the construction process while gaining valuable real-world experience in cabinetry, carpentry, project management and quality control.

The project also continues a longstanding partnership between ISTC and the Alabama Legislature. During a major State House renovation in 2014, ISTC students crafted furnishings that were installed throughout the current State House. As Alabama prepares to move into its new legislative home, select pieces built by those earlier students will be transferred alongside new furnishings being constructed today.

"When I walk through the current State House, I can still point to pieces our students built years ago," said Ray Albright, ISTC Cabinetmaking Instructor. "Now, we're preparing to place a new generation of student craftsmanship inside Alabama's newest legislative building. These students aren't just building furniture; they're building pieces that will become part of Alabama's government and its history."

Bill Horn, Senate Facilities Director, said the project reflects more than a decade of successful collaboration.

"Many of the furnishings currently used throughout the State House were crafted by ISTC students, and they have served Alabama well for years," Horn said. "It's fitting that as we move into a new State House, ISTC students are once again helping create the spaces where Alabama's leaders will serve the people of this state."

ISTC President David Walters said the project demonstrates both the talent of the students and the lasting impact of workforce education.

"For more than a decade, ISTC students have contributed to the spaces where Alabama's leaders conduct the people's business," Walters said. "The fact that furnishings built by our students in 2014 will be joined by pieces being crafted today speaks to the lasting quality of their work and the transformative power of education and workforce training."

When completed, the custom desks, dais and podiums will serve as the backdrop for legislative discussions, policy debates and decisions that impact communities across Alabama. More importantly, they will stand as a testament to the power of education, workforce development and second chances.

Through industry-relevant training, ISTC equips students with the skills, credentials and experience needed for successful employment and reentry while contributing to projects that benefit communities throughout Alabama.