Soon to be graduates, all construction trades students at the Warwick Area Career and Technical Center were handed “tools of the trade” on Wednesday – along with some advice on how to live their lives.

The advice was delivered by contractor Jeff Sweenor, president of Sweenor Builders, a luxury custom homebuilder based in coastal southern Rhode Island whose work is frequently featured on “This Old House,” starting with “wake up early.”

“If you love what you’re doing, get up and get after it. Start your day ahead of your competition,” he said to the group of 25 students from both the Warwick and the Woonsocket Career Centers.

The event was the Tools of the Trade Awards Ceremony, hosted by the Rhode Island Building Officials Association and held in the Tides Restaurant operated by the Warwick center.

Building officials helped start the program nine years ago with the International Code Council. The ICC is the developer of the building codes that the State of Rhode Island has adopted as the State Building Code.

Wayne Pimental, immediate past president of the Building Officials Association, explains that the organization felt it is critical to have students entering the trades become familiar with the building codes.

“You can’t build it correctly if you don’t know why it needs to be built that way,” he says.

To promote and recognize those senior students who successfully pass the ICC Residential exam, the organization partnered with NETCOH Tool Sales and DeWalt tools to provide the students with tools. To fund the program, the organization holds an annual building expo and training event every year at New England Tech.

“It really is a win-win for everyone,” Pimental said. “We as code officials ultimately have a better educated builder and we know we have builders who know how to do the job right.”

Sweenor’s advice would fit many, not just those wielding a hammer and anxious to build. He talked about listening, learning, showing rather than telling, doing it right the first time, believing in one’s self and going the extra mile.

“This applies to so many aspects of life, both big and small, personal and business,” he said. “Do you remember the last time somebody surprised or delighted you? Most likely they were way out of the curve, going that extra mile, where you’ve never met anybody before. Be that person. So many people attribute success to luck. It’s not. It’s going the extra mile. I share this insight all the time, and it still amazes me how few people are willing to invest the effort. The extra mile is never crowded.”

Warwick center students honored with “Tools of the Trade” scholarships were Leandro Aldana, Bryan Araujo, Jordan Beaumier, Jayce Correia, Emidio DeSousa Rose, Michael Delise Jr., Joshua Dufault, Jacob Gardner, Cameron Gotauco, William Martino, Christopher Miller, Camden Palumbo, Ryan Pietros, Tyler Scotti and Courtney Trenn.