NY (WBNG Binghamton) : Construction Career Day 

Town of Chenango, NY (WBNG Binghamton) Local leaders in the construction industry are trying to recruit a younger workforce for jobs in the Southern Tier.

On Wednesday, Broome County held its annual Construction Career Day at the Broome County Highway Department in the town of Chenango.

More than 500 high school students from school districts around Broome and Tioga counties spent the day getting first-hand experience in what it would be like if they pursued a career in construction.

Those over the age of 16 got the chance to operate major machinery like bulldozers, backhoes and dump trucks.

Students also got a chance to talk one-on-one with people in the industry about salaries and potential for advancement.

“They actually see that it is a pretty challenging job. You just can’t get in there and operate this equipment,” said Jack Williams, director of New York State Department of Transportation District 9. “You have to be very skilled to do what our operators and our construction workers do on a daily basis.”

Construction Career Day is an annual event that costs about $20,000 to host each year.

The NYSDOT pays for half of the cost with a grant. The Broome County Highway Department, Broome-Tioga Workforce and BOCES fund the rest.

This program in Broome County is just one of several across New York state. The program also runs in at least a half dozen cities, like Albany, Syracuse and Rochester.

Source: http://www.wbng.com/news/local/Construction-Day-Connecting-kids-with-Construction–331134702.html