The Center of Workforce Innovations and Construction Advancement Foundation are hosting two Construction & Skilled Trades Days.
The 9th Annual Lake County Construction & Skilled Trades Day will take place Oct. 28, at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point. The 3rd Annual Porter County Construction & Skilled Trades Day will follow Nov. 18, at the Porter County Expo Center in Valparaiso.
Started in 2017, the event is hosted by CWI and CAF in collaboration with Indiana Plan, Northwest Indiana Workforce Board, READY NWI and We Build Northwest Indiana. It is endorsed by the Northwest Indiana Building & Construction Trades Council. The event aligns with the U.S. Department of Labor’s National Apprenticeship Week to promote awareness of registered apprenticeship opportunities.
“Providing these types of opportunities to our youth can open doors and serve the needs of both the student and the unions in a time when skilled labor is needed more than ever,” said Kevin Comerford, Construction Advancement Foundation director of professional development, in a press release.
Each year, the event welcomes students from over 26 Northwest Indiana high schools, along with homeschoolers and out-of-school youth, for a hands-on introduction to careers in the skilled trades. Participants rotate through interactive booths representing up to 19 different trades—including carpentry, plumbing, painting and roofing. The activities are presented by over 125 volunteers, apprentices, trainers and retired tradespeople.
Student attendance at Construction & Skilled Trades Day counts toward Indiana’s new graduation requirement for career exploration, as outlined in House Enrolled Act 1002. This makes the event key for students planning their postsecondary paths.
“The main benefactors are truly the students, who may have never seriously considered what awaits them after graduation,” Nicole Rodriquez, READY NWI director, said. “It allows them to explore all the Region’s great options—whether it’s one of our —whether it’s one of our amazing educational institutions or a path into a skilled trade.”
