Lee County students learn about construction careers at expo

ATLANTA – Construction Ready held its annual CareerExpo recently at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Students from Lee County High School were among the thousands of students from across Georgia who attended the expo, the state’s largest youth work force development event for the construction industry.

The need for skilled workers in the industry remains high, and Construction Ready’s mission is to connect students to employers and post-secondary training and education programs. The students explored interactive exhibits that demonstrated the scope of the industry and learned about specific career paths.

Students were able to meet with industry professionals, trade association representatives and educators from hundreds of organizations across the state including The Home Depot, Georgia Power, Associated General Contractors of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia.

The CareerExpo had many hands-on displays that gave students the opportunity to work with industry leaders, equipment and materials. Attendees experienced the sights and sounds of a real construction site. The interactive experience allowed students to learn more about the industry and introduced them to specific career paths.

“Our goal is to encourage students to explore and pursue careers in construction, design and energy,” Scott Shelar, president and CEO of Construction Ready, said.

SkillsUSA Competition: CareerExpo 2024 also featured the SkillsUSA State Championship, a competition that allows students to showcase their skills in a number of construction-related disciplines. Winners will represent Georgia at the SkillsUSA Nationals Championship in Atlanta.

Construction Ready works with high school students, parents, employers, teachers, counselors, and partners to strengthen the youth work force and address the immediate needs of the skilled labor market. The nonprofit was created almost 30 years ago and works to close the skilled work force gap that is impacting the industry nationwide.

Those interested in being a part of Construction Ready can be a part of its K-12 programs, Little Builders, CareerExpo, and adult training programs. More information is available at www.constructionready.org.

● More than 17,000 Georgia public school students enrolled in 150 skilled trade construction and metals programs throughout the state;

● Industry professionals from more than 300 companies in the state of Georgia participated in the CareerExpo to speak with students about their organizations’ work and career paths in the building and energy industries;

● Industries represented included construction management, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, energy and more.

● Dozens of colleges and universities representing eight different career clusters: Architecture and Construction, Arts, A/V Technology and Communications, Energy, Government and Public Administration, Human Services, Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security, Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM), and Transportation, Distribution and Logistics.

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