Construction Career Days Fight Staffing Shortage in Construction Industry

Seventh Annual Event in Capital District

ALBANY, NY (04/16/2008)(readMedia)-- Over 1000 Capital Region high school students from more than two dozen schools will participate in the Seventh Annual Capital District Construction Career Days, a two-day hands-on event designed to introduce youth to the many opportunities available in construction. The event will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, April 23-24, 2008 at the Tri-Cities Laborers Training Facility, Wemple Road, Glenmont, New York.

The Capital District Construction Career Days (www.constructioncareerdays.org) event is the work of a Steering Committee comprising state and federal agencies, construction associations, private contractors and many local labor unions.

“There is a critical shortage of employees in all aspects of the construction industry – from the trades to government agencies to estimators, managers and more. Our industry is so concerned about this pressing need that we combined our talents, energy and knowledge to host this event,” said Fred Stutzman, co-chairman of the Capital District Construction Career Days and Vice President of Hudson River Construction. Nationally, there is a need for 250,000 construction workers at all levels.

The event consists of three areas. An Equipment Section will feature 30 pieces of heavy construction equipment, including a bulldozer, a paving machine, a milling machine and a directional boring machine. Students will have a chance to operate the bucket on a backhoe, a small excavator or a skid steer loader. In the Hands-on Section, students will have an opportunity to try their hands at carpentry, rebar layout, and crane simulation and a variety of other activities. An Exhibitors Section will contain booths set up by labor, construction companies, associations, state agencies, colleges and universities.

Participating schools will include Albany, Bethlehem, Berne-Knox-Westerlo, Cohoes, Guilderland, Mayfield, Shaker, Troy, Schenectady and Voorheesville High Schools.

MEDIA NOTE: There will be great photo opportunities with local high school students operating equipment. Contact Brendan Manning, 518-869-2207, ext. 17, for details.

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