The inaugural Construction Career Day co-sponsored by a Lancaster County, PA, trades school and two of Central Pennsylvania’s leading contractors associations was a resounding success.
Hundreds of high school students anxious to learn about careers in the building trades poured into the Lancaster County Career and Technology Center Oct. 15 for the event, co-sponsored by the Building Industry Association of Lancaster County (BIA) and Keystone Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC).
The students, who came from the Tech Center as well as high schools throughout northern Lancaster County, had their pick of 39 exhibitors, ranging from A (Abel Construction) to W (Wohlsen Construction) with many way stations in between.
“This is the first time we have done something like this,” said Dr. Timothy Bianchi, principal of the Tech Center. “It gives the students the opportunity to meet potential or prospective employers. Our partnership with BIA and ABC in this event is a great way to get the word out about career opportunities in construction.”
Bianchi said students from throughout the area were encouraged to attend Construction Career Day, not just students enrolled in the Tech Center Trades program.
“Students from grades 8, 9, 10 and 11 were given the opportunity to learn more about careers in construction and also see the Tech Center and talk to our teachers and our students about our construction careers program,” said Bianchi.
A wide variety of trades were represented, including carpentry, painting, masonry, electrical, flooring, cabinet making and millwork, plumbing, HVAC, heavy equipment operators, roofing, ceramic tile, sheet metal, welding and landscaping, to name a few.
Tess Wittler, director of member services of BIA, said outreach to young people was critical for the industry.
“There are not enough kids who want to work in construction. We are here to show them it is more than a job. It is a career — with benefits and opportunities for advancement,” said Wittler. “There are not as many women as I’d like to see working in construction. I guess the building trades has a stigma as a guy career. That certainly isn’t true.”
Harry Scheid, general construction superintendent of Horst Construction, Lancaster, said the industry has to overcome the bias against the trades.
“There are dollars to be made in construction. It’s not a blue collar job anymore, it’s a gold collar career. Why should they be earning $23,000 a year after paying $60,000 to get a college education? Where’s the sense in that?” asked Scheid.
Steve Walter, director of administration of Haller Enterprises, Lancaster, said he was impressed with the turnout.
“This is a great event. Lancaster County Tech Center is putting out some pretty good potential employees. There are always students who don’t want to go to college. That’s why we’re here — to show them where the opportunities are,” said Walter.
Alan Arment, director of craft training and workforce development of Keystone ABC, welcomed the partnership with the Tech Center.
“We normally hold these fairs in the evening, but the turnout among the kids is usually poor. Since this event is during the daytime hours, they are here in droves,” said Arment. “We hope to expose kids to the idea of a career in construction early in the school year so they can make a sound decision. Some of our members want to connect with the Tech Center in offering Co-Op or job shadowing programs.”
Participants in the career day included: Abel Construction, Associated Builders & Contractors, Bareville Flooring, Benchmark Construction, BR Kreider & Son Inc., Brubacher Excavating Inc., Brubaker Inc., Building Industry Association, Burkholder Paving, E.H. Gochenauer & Sons Inc., Ebersole Construction, Encompass/The Fairfield Company, Fairway Construction, Flyway Excavating Inc., Frey Lutz Corp., G. Earl Martin Inc., Gooding Simpson Mackes, Greystone Construction, H.L. Wiker & Sons Inc., Haller Enterprises, Harrisburg Area Community College, Herr & Sacco Inc., The Horst Group, Howell’s Lancaster Glass Co. Inc., Ira G. Steffy & Son Inc., Paul Risk Associates Inc., Penn State Fixtures, Royer’s Flowers, RS Roofing, Sheet Metal Workers L-19, Signature Customer Cabinetry, Stauffers of Kissel Hill, Triangle Refrigeration Co., Triple H. Construction Co. Inc., Warfel Construction Co., Weaver Masonry Inc., Weaver PreCast, Witmer & McCoy Inc. and Wohlsen Construction.
