By Brian Reeder - AGC Government Affairs Coordiantor
Somewhere around the fifth or sixth time I watched “Bull Durham” and the credits started to roll, my dad piped in with the comment, “Those are all different jobs.” The credits rolled faster than I could read but the message was received. From the camera and sound crew to the groundskeepers and set builders, there are a zillion different interesting jobs in the world, each requiring different experience, education and skill sets. You just have to find one you like and go after it.
As a 14-year-old, the idea of working on the set of a movie, especially a movie about baseball, was pretty intriguing. But where in school do you learn to dangle a boom mic between Kevin Costner and Tim Robbins in front of pitcher’s mound?
As a 14-year-old, the idea of working on the set of a movie, especially a movie about baseball, was pretty intriguing. But where in school do you learn to dangle a boom mic between Kevin Costner and Tim Robbins in front of pitcher’s mound?
Now, picture the 12-year-old who can’t wait to get behind the controls of a back hoe and the 16-year-old obsessed with taking engines apart. The disconnect between school curricula and vocational career paths creates a similar dilemma for these kids.
Kids are curious, and their curiosities instinctively draw them toward their own interests. The trick to keeping these kids engaged in school is to connect the dots between lesson plans and their various interests and to direct them toward career paths that are lucrative and sustainable.
Sadly, in many areas, such as construction, those curiosities are stifled. Careers in the skilled trades take a back seat to careers that require traditional college training. Unbelievably, there are actually high schools in Washoe County that do not offer any kind of shop class. This is discouraging for students who might not be college bound, but could succeed as a carpenter, electrician or project manager. As the construction industry continues to recover, a new crop of bright individuals who are eager to work is needed. The most recent Sunday edition of the Reno Gazette Journal had advertisements for framers, finish carpenters, heavy equipment operators, project managers, etc. These are good jobs that pay very well.
For five years the AGC Education Committee has strived to bridge the gap between classroom instruction and jobs in the construction industry. Under the direction of Education Committee liaison Melissa Duvall, AGC offers an Education Externship where teachers have the opportunity to learn how to apply construction management and skilled trades to K-12 curriculum. It’s the same math/engineering, science and communication students are already being taught – but with real world application. The goal is to create a construction career roadmap that is supported by teachers.
The 2015 AGC Summer Externship was the most successful to date. It drew a record attendance of nearly 30 teachers, each allowed to earn continuing education credits for their participation. The program included presentations from K.G. Walters Construction, CH2MHill, RHP Mechanical, San Joaquin Electric, Washoe County, Carpenters Union Apprentice Program and ACE Charter High School. It wrapped up with a jobsite tour of the South Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility expansion project.
AGC offers the Education Externship twice per year, once during Spring Break and once during Summer Vacation. By continuing to reach teachers in Washoe County, AGC is helping to spread the message that there are great career paths for those who might not be college bound, and construction is one of them.
Kids are curious, and their curiosities instinctively draw them toward their own interests. The trick to keeping these kids engaged in school is to connect the dots between lesson plans and their various interests and to direct them toward career paths that are lucrative and sustainable.
Sadly, in many areas, such as construction, those curiosities are stifled. Careers in the skilled trades take a back seat to careers that require traditional college training. Unbelievably, there are actually high schools in Washoe County that do not offer any kind of shop class. This is discouraging for students who might not be college bound, but could succeed as a carpenter, electrician or project manager. As the construction industry continues to recover, a new crop of bright individuals who are eager to work is needed. The most recent Sunday edition of the Reno Gazette Journal had advertisements for framers, finish carpenters, heavy equipment operators, project managers, etc. These are good jobs that pay very well.
For five years the AGC Education Committee has strived to bridge the gap between classroom instruction and jobs in the construction industry. Under the direction of Education Committee liaison Melissa Duvall, AGC offers an Education Externship where teachers have the opportunity to learn how to apply construction management and skilled trades to K-12 curriculum. It’s the same math/engineering, science and communication students are already being taught – but with real world application. The goal is to create a construction career roadmap that is supported by teachers.
The 2015 AGC Summer Externship was the most successful to date. It drew a record attendance of nearly 30 teachers, each allowed to earn continuing education credits for their participation. The program included presentations from K.G. Walters Construction, CH2MHill, RHP Mechanical, San Joaquin Electric, Washoe County, Carpenters Union Apprentice Program and ACE Charter High School. It wrapped up with a jobsite tour of the South Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility expansion project.
AGC offers the Education Externship twice per year, once during Spring Break and once during Summer Vacation. By continuing to reach teachers in Washoe County, AGC is helping to spread the message that there are great career paths for those who might not be college bound, and construction is one of them.