This week, two hundred high school and college students from all over Southern California took part in the Construction Industry Education’s 37th Annual Design Build Competition, a contest to design and construct tiny sheds and houses from scratch, no experience necessary.
While the annual Competition presents students with an opportunity to harness their skills and discover a new career field, it also presents the construction industry with a glimpse of hope. Right now, there is an estimated 20 years’ worth of construction jobs and projects in Southern California alone. With events like these, encouraging and promoting a career in the trades to younger generations will hopefully allow the industry to replenish its levels of employment while also giving these students another option of a path to success.
By embarking in career as a skilled trades worker, students can be paid to go to school without running the risk of incurring student debt. Southwest Mountain States Carpenters offers apprenticeships and classes to anyone who wants to get their new career started.
Even without knowing a single thing about carpentry or construction, these students are eager to take it all in. “Building things from scratch is very exciting and it’s interesting how the process goes when you don’t have much experience in it” said student Dariana Garcia.
Southwest Mountain States Carpenters is proud to be the main sponsor of this event and hopes to see these students as Union members in the future!
Thank you to NBC 4 LA for the news coverage. Check out the full news segment here!