Contact: Kristi Pronovost
Director of Marketing & Communications
717.653.8106 or kristi@abckeystone.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 29, 2018
(MANHEIM, PA.) Over the course of three days, March 13-15, 2018, 206 students and educators participated in Construction Wars, a career exploration event offering hands-on activities designed to introduce students to the many careers available in the field of construction. Students from 14 schools of 13 local school districts attended, including:
- CHASE Homeschool Co-op (Lancaster)
- Cocalico Middle School (Cocalico School District)
- Eastern York Middle School (Eastern York School District)
- The Janus School (Lancaster)
- Lampeter-Strasburg High School (Lampeter-Strasburg School District)
- Lampeter-Strasburg Meylin Middle School (Lampeter-Strasburg School District)
- Lower Dauphin Middle School (Lower Dauphin School District)
- Manheim Township High School (Manheim Township School District)
- Middletown Area Middle School (Middletown Area School District)
- New Cumberland Middle School (West Shore School District)
- Northeastern Middle School (Northeastern School District)
- Salisbury Elementary (Pequea Valley School District)
- Smith Middle School (Solanco School District)
- Swift Middle School (Solanco School District)
During the event, middle school students explored a variety of construction trades by building several take-home items. Attendees enjoyed building a wooden bench (carpentry) and a tool box (sheet metal), in addition to plumbing projects and tool identification stations. “Excellent way to expose students to many careers in one day,” stated a guidance counselor in attendance.
Students were assisted by 66 ABC Keystone member construction professionals who shared their knowledge of the industry. Current ABC Keystone apprentices were also on-hand to answer questions, and they shared first-hand experiences of the Chapter’s apprenticeship training program and the positive impact that “earn-while-you-learn” training has had on their own paths to successful careers. Dr. Ben Stiles from Lancaster County Career & Technical Center shared additional educational programs with the students.
Construction Wars, hosted by Associated Builders & Contractors – Keystone Chapter in Manheim, is part of the many workforce development initiatives developed by the Keystone Chapter to assist with the growing workforce shortage facing the construction industry. Currently, it is estimated that there are over 500,000 construction jobs available that need to be filled, and the number is expected to grow. This event showcased that a career as a construction professional holds many opportunities for today’s students, including positions as craft professionals, superintendents, and ultimately, company owners. Construction Wars will be held again on October 16-18, 2018, and March 12-14, 2019, to fill attendance requests from school administrators. For more information regarding this event, please contact Todd K. Staub, Director of Workforce Development, ABC Keystone: todd@abckeystone.org, 717-653-8106.
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The Keystone Chapter of Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) is a construction trade association based in Manheim, Pennsylvania, representing nearly 600 construction-related firms. Founded on the merit shop philosophy, ABC and its 70 chapters nation-wide help members win work and deliver that work safely, ethically, and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which they work. Visit us at www.abckeystone.org.
