How a partnership between two OneUK businesses shaped the 5th Construction Business Accelerator cohort
When participants in the University of Kentucky and Turner Construction Company’s Construction Business Accelerator (CBA) crossed the finish line of the 12-week program, they received more than a certificate. Each graduate walked away with a CBA branded, Bullard Adaptix Type II Safety Helmet, a physical reminder that safety is foundational to a career in construction.
The gesture was made possible through OneUK, the University of Kentucky’s (UK) strategic collaboration program designed to build long-term partnerships between the university and leading businesses. Both Bullard and Turner Construction Company are OneUK partners. Their shared connection to the OneUK program created the conditions for a business-to-business relationship that culminated in Bullard joining the CBA's fifth cohort as a community partner.
The Construction Business Accelerator, a joint initiative between UK and Turner Construction Company, was designed to strengthen the capacity of local construction-related businesses by equipping them with skills needed to compete in a demanding industry. Participants receive training across a broad range of subject areas, including safety, site logistics, insurance, bonding, contracts, subcontracting, estimating, scheduling, construction accounting and bid preparation. The program concludes with a mock bid project, in which teams engage in a simulated post-bid review with a panel of industry experts, offering participants a practical, real-world capstone experience before they return to their businesses.
“I had the opportunity to meet Wells Bullard, CEO, at a OneUK event. After hearing about the history of the family business, I knew Bullard would make a great CBA community partner,” Marilyn Clark, UK Economic Engagement Manager and CBA initiative lead said. “In this first year, Bullard has been an active partner, sharing their business history and their safety culture with the cohort, attending the reception and Opportunity Hour, meeting with individual businesses, and sponsoring dinners for the cohort. We are so appreciative of Bullard’s generosity in underwriting the costs of the helmets for first five UK students embedded into a CBA cohort.”
The collaboration between Bullard and Turner Construction is a direct example of what OneUK was built to produce. At its core, the program seeks to align UK's educational, research and community resources with industry leaders in ways that generate tangible outcomes — for businesses, students and the broader Kentucky economy. In this case, Turner Construction team members participated in research and development efforts at Bullard related to head protection, providing feedback on comfort, fit, accessory compatibility and real-world field functionality, the kind of end-user input that drives meaningful product improvement.
"Partnerships like this are incredibly important to Bullard," said Damir Karapandzic, regional sales manager at Bullard. "We greatly appreciate the opportunity to support Turner Construction, the University of Kentucky, and the CBA program as they help develop the next generation of skilled trades professionals."
The partnership between Bullard and Turner Construction did not require a formal introduction or a lengthy procurement process. It grew out of a shared connection to the University of Kentucky, which, for OneUK, is exactly the point.
OneUK is a strategic collaboration program between the University of Kentucky and leading businesses, designed to foster long-term, holistic partnerships that drive innovation, talent development, and economic growth in the Commonwealth.
At its core, OneUK seeks to deepen business engagement across all areas of the University of Kentucky, creating opportunities for talent development, innovation, and strategic support. By aligning UK’s educational, research, and community resources with industry leaders, OneUK supports Kentucky’s economic growth while offering companies access to world-class talent, cutting-edge research, and a thriving collaborative ecosystem. Read more here.