More than 4,100 students, instructors, parents and industry volunteers representing 107 different schools across the state of Georgia attended the fourth annual Construction CareerExpo, sponsored by the Construction Education Foundation of Georgia and the Georgia Utility Contractor’s Association (GUCA).

The statewide event, designed to promote careers in construction and give students the opportunity to meet employers, was held at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds drawing record crowds.

Members of GUCA participated in the event, which had a whole area designated just for utility construction. The utility construction industry area included a hands-on experience for the students.

One of the biggest draws of the event again this year was sponsored by GUCA member companies Robert M. Anderson Inc., Metrac and C. A. Murren & Sons Company Inc. Students were allowed to operate and perform certain tasks on heavy equipment, including a large excavator, two mini-excavators, a motorgrader and remote controlled vibratory rollers. The students tried their skills in picking up balls and placing them in containers with the mini-excavators, moving piles of gravel with the large excavator or attempting an obstacle course with the motorgrader and the vibratory rollers.

GUCA members also had booths set up so students could find out about potential job opportunities for careers in the utility construction industry. Western Summit Constructors Inc. provided its crane simulator trailer for the students to try out. Robert M. Anderson Inc. provided a mock job site, along with a cotton candy machine, which was a big draw for the students.

In conjunction with the CareerExpo, CEFGA and its partners sponsored the SkillsUSA state construction contests. The competitions featured more than 170 of the state’s top students, competing in carpentry, electrical, masonry, plumbing, sheet metal, heating and air, architectural drafting and TeamWorks.