Not many 7th and 8th graders can come back from their summer vacation and say they operated a backhoe or a dozer. Most kids at this age just want to hang out by the pool or sleep in, but the opposite can be said of the students who attended Construction Camp 2007 at the Central Westmoreland Career & Technology Center, co-sponsored by CAWP. Eager to learn about the construction industry and the opportunities it holds, these students spent a week constructing projects and learning the basics about the industry.
Designed to impact youth and promote future career paths in the industry, Construction Camp 2007 was designed as an exploratory camp. Activities ranged from hands-on to instructional. Throughout the week, students were taught various skills through the construction of a water wall project. Field trips, as well as blueprint reading, and tips for proper care and usage of hand tools and equipment also supplemented their lesson plan.
On Thursday, June 21st, CAWP sponsored a lunch for the students. Jason Koss, CAWP Director of Industry Relations, was on hand to educate the students about projects in the heavy and highway industry and the path students should take in regards to planning their future in construction. As he passed out handouts and hard hat stickers, students were inquisitive and eager to hear about the broad range of possibilities available in the heavy and highway industry.
After lunch, CAWP Contractor Member Carol Brady, President of C.H. & D. Enterprises, Inc., provided the students with a bus tour of the SR 119 Sony Interchange construction site. Brady emphasized the importance of education and the abundance of opportunities that bright, enthusiastic students like them would have in the industry. Students observed the complex effort it takes for contractors to construct a roadway. While an excavator on the construction site loaded dirt into a dump truck, attendee Seth Rocco watched ardently and said, “I like watching how they maneuver the dirt around, and how much it can change over time. I have always had an interest in construction and wanted to get this kind of hands-on experience.”
Students then traveled to the Western PA Operating Engineers Joint Apprenticeship site. There students were able to experience first hand the power of a wheel loader, backhoe, and dozer. Taking turns, students sat in the cab with current apprentices and learned how to operate the machines by digging, moving, and dumping dirt. Apprenticeship Program Administrative Manager Steve Columbus explained the function of each machine and why it is important for operating engineers and mechanics to be trained to work on a job site.
Overall, the camp was a success with its attendees. Students came away from the camp describing it as ‘cool’ and ‘fun’, excited about construction and what the future could hold for them in this industry.
Made possible by the coordinated efforts of local workforce development agencies, educational institutes, industry professionals, and CAWP, the camp has received a very strong, positive response. Requests have been received to replicate the program throughout western Pennsylvania, exemplifying the potential impact youth activities play in the successful promotion of future career paths in the trades.
