An Opportunity to Explore Your Options
More and more students today are rethinking their career paths. With rising tuition rates, you might be thinking that college isn’t the right move for you. Whether a lifetime of student debt is causing you to reconsider college or you’re simply examining all your alternatives, Construction Career Days offer an opportunity to explore your options for a fulfilling and well-paying career before deciding.
YBA Workforce NOW Construction Career Days bring together local high schools, students, and employers in the construction trades. Host companies introduce students to the scope of work they do, often provide hands-on activities or demonstrations, and opportunities to hear from employees in different roles. Students also get details on connecting with the company when they are ready to look for employment.
Construction Career Days are designed to provide students a first-hand look at the diverse opportunities available for skilled trade careers in York County and surrounding areas.
Information for Schools + Students
There are many options in the construction trades for students interested in exploring professions that don’t require a college education but can still be rewarding and provide high-earning potential. Skilled trade careers also offer opportunities to advance into management roles or business ownership.
Workforce NOW Construction Career Days are designed to help educate today’s students on the diverse skilled trade career opportunities available to them in our local York County community and surrounding areas.
Workforce NOW Objectives for
Construction Career Days:
Provide high school students with the resources they need to learn more about skill trade careers that are in high demand.
Provide students with the right connections in the construction trades and make sure students know how to reach out to them when seeking employment.
Give students a chance to learn about the range of job opportunities available through Workforce NOW Construction Career Day host companies.
Share information about trade apprenticeships, on-the-job training, internships, etc.
Connect with Young People
Construction Career Days
Information for Employers
62% of U.S. organizations struggle to fill important skilled trade positions. Attracting the next generation of skilled trades professionals is an important issue for many companies – both throughout the country and here in York, Pennsylvania.
The construction trade industry has been facing a shortage of skilled trade workers for some time, and the demand continues to escalate. A smaller hiring pool makes it difficult for construction companies to meet the increased service demand. As a result, everyone experiences delays, companies face hiring challenges, which ultimately impacts your business’s growth.
Workforce NOW Construction Career Days provide excellent opportunities for employer companies to connect directly with young people interested in learning more about YOUR organization and considering a skilled trade career path.
Host Company Responsibilities
YBA member companies interested in hosting Workforce NOW Construction Career Days events should complete the registration form (LINK). Once registered to host a group of students, a company’s responsibilities include:
Register Your Organization
Pay host fee
Provide at your cost: Lunch, drink, and a break area for students & chaperones. Accessibility and food allergy accommodations, if applicable
Plan, prepare, and implement student agenda from arrival to departure (approximately 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.)
Plan for interactive discussions and activities. Encourage students to ask questions and provide information about career opportunities, benefits, work environment, and the scope of work your company does.
Suggested activities: executive welcome, company information, tours, demonstrations, employee testimonials, hands-on activity (if possible), and Q & A opportunities.
Construction Career Day Sponsors
A skilled trades career does not have to be narrow or limited, you can continue to learn new skill sets throughout your career and, in most cases, you won’t have to pile on a bunch of student debt to acquire those skills! Ready to get started? Check out a sampling of skilled trade roles, including information on training, pay, and day-to-day responsibilities.
YBA Workforce NOW Foundation
Frequently Asked Questions
Check out the frequently asked questions for Construction Career Days Host Companies.
How do I become a host company?
To become a Workforce NOW Construction Career Days host company, you must be a member in good standing of the York Builders Association. To host a school, please contact Melissa Longenberger at the YBA office, 717-767-2444, or email [email protected].
What do host companies do?
Construction Career Days host companies will spend approximately three to four hours with a student group. Each group is chaperoned by school staff/faculty along with staff/volunteers from YBA. The host company will greet the students around 9:30 a.m. at their company. The schedule and details of the day are up to the host company. Typically, the host will introduce the students to the company and review some history, key staff, and the type of work the company does. Introduce various career opportunities in the construction trades that your company employs and the kind of skilled trade training necessary. If the group is large, we suggest planning for multiple small group tours/activities.
Do you have to be a member of the York Builders Association to be a host?
Yes, all host companies must be members in good standing. Non-member companies can participate along with a member company as the primary host.
How much does it cost to be a host?
Host companies will be invoiced $350. The fee covers administrative expenses, marketing, and additional promotion for your company throughout the year. This can include but is not limited to social media posts, guest blog submissions, video highlights, photography, etc.
How many students should I expect?
Each host company will choose the group size they can manage at their location. We will create a registration form based their group size limits. This will allow all student groups and companies of any size to participate in this event.
Do we need to provide breakfast or lunch?
Breakfast is not required. Providing lunch for the students is a requirement and an area for them to sit while eating.
How can we plan the visit?
The YBA staff will be happy to assist with planning your Construction Career Days events. We can provide sample schedules/itineraries from past host companies. Expect the students to arrive around 9:30 a.m. and leave between 1 – 2 p.m. You can schedule around your organization’s ability to educate and entertain the students about your company’s role in the construction trades and the opportunities for skilled trade careers available. Small companies may find it best to finish their day after lunch while larger companies can fill additional time.
Should we do a presentation?Should we do a presentation?
Any presentation should be kept short and, if possible, include high-energy videos or key points of interest about the scope of work your company does and the skilled trade career opportunities available. Young minds have short attention spans. We do not suggest a presentation longer than 10 minutes.
Can we do hands-on activities?
Yes, we strongly suggest hands-on and creative activities or demonstrations. The students are eager to participate in small and safe activities. Let them climb on equipment and test the controls, do small building projects, test design programs, try on safety equipment, etc.
What do we do after the event?
Be sure to introduce yourself and relevant team members to the faculty/staff from the school during their visit. Exchange contact information if possible. YBA is happy to assist with these connections before and after the event. We intend to provide the opportunity for your company to have an open dialogue with these schools in the future and make it easy for students seeking skilled trade career opportunities to reach out to you.
