Posted: 04:00 AM PDT Monday, May 11, 2009
BY JUSTIN CARINCI
With schools across the state cutting shop classes, students might leave high school without having been exposed to technical education. On Thursday, masses of high schoolers got a crash course at the Oregon Convention Center.
Approximately 6,200 students thronged the convention center for the Northwest Youth Careers Expo, spilling out into the lobby and sidewalks. As inspiring as the turnout was, it’s not a substitute for vocational training, expo organizer Drew Park said.
But events like the expo can get students interested and excited about careers in construction and related industries.
“It’s just to spark their interest,” said Park, president and CEO of Columbia Wire and Iron.
“We’re trying to give kids an opportunity to see companies in the local economy, what kinds of jobs they offer, what kind of pay they offer.
“This will at least give them a little glimpse of something, something to put their hands on.”
Tyler Winslow, an Oregon City High School senior, got his hands on a drill at the Hoffman Construction booth. Students were able to practice drilling screws into two-by-fours at the display.
Winslow, who also takes welding instruction at Clackamas Community College, said he’s interested in all types of construction. “I’m in it for whatever,” he said. “I just like building stuff.”
Dick Burnham, operations manager with Hoffman, said he saw plenty of enthusiasm at the booth. “Some of the kids are really energized and asking good questions,” he said.
Various colleges and job programs set up booths for interested students. Other companies set up video games and other displays without any apparent educational purpose.
Not so fast, Park said. Watching students manipulate a backhoe at the Nutter booth, it’s clear some are putting their video game skills to good use.
“Some of the kids, they come in here, with all their gaming abilities, and it’s just ‘boom, boom, boom.’ They get it right away.” Park said. “It transfers directly.”
Ian Bruggeman, a Job Corps student from Estacada, bragged about his prowess after using a backhoe to dunk a softball into a traffic cone. “I got it in three seconds,” Bruggeman said.
“It’s, like, a new world record.”
Jacob Cutts, an Estacada freshman, has plenty of video game experience but took longer to adjust to the machine’s dual joysticks. “It’s kind of confusing with the controls,” he said.
Keeping up with high-school students requires extra effort to stay up to date, said Sarah Hammer, working at the National Electrical Contractors Association and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers’ booth. “You have to be when you’re working with these kids,” she said.
The union Local 48 booth offered free digital music cards and videos of workers in action. Students entered their names into a drawing for a backpack.
Stressing the electrical connection, the backpack has a solar panel to charge personal electronic devices. “One kid actually called it ‘gangsta,’ ” Hammer said.
Each person who entered the drawing will get a friend request from the union local’s MySpace and Facebook pages. And, yes, Local 48 also tweets.
It looks like the kids are going for it, Hammer said. “People are saying ‘You have a MySpace page? That’s awesome!’
© 2009 DJC News
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