In July, twenty middle school students attended a week long Construction Summer Camp. The goal of the Construction Camp was to expose the students who recently completed the 7th or 8th grade to future career opportunities in the building trades.
The Construction Camp was held at the Operating Engineers Training Center in Miamisburg, OH. It was hosted by the MV Apprentice Coordinators Group, along with the Construction Builders Association staff offering administrative support and an Educator providing Camp management. The Camp ran 9 AM – 3 PM daily; and students were provided with lunch, snacks, and beverages daily.
Each day, training program representatives, contractors, and other partners provided student campers with information on career opportunities in the building trades through presentation and hands on activities. Each daily session started in a classroom to introduce the day’s presenters and allow them to share information on the trade or employer. The week’s activities included: operating heavy equipment with the Operating Engineers; making a tool box with the Sheet Metal Workers; tying ropes with the Dayton Building Trades; pouring molds with the Plasterers; joining in on a cement pour with the Cement Masons; building a candy dispenser with the Carpenters & Valley Interiors; participating in a Career Pathways activity & viewing a virtual job site with Shook Construction; welding, tying rebar, & connecting bridge girders with the Ironworkers; taking part in various PVC projects with Sydney Mechanical; watching various 811 Call Before you Dig demonstrations, and working a light project with the Electricians. The week concluded with a Graduation where campers and family members watched a video sharing pictures from the week and each student received a completion certificate issued by Senator Sherrod Brown.
