High school students from throughout south central Idaho will take part in the Construction Career Exploration Fair today through Saturday at the College of Southern Idaho’s Expo Center in Twin Falls.
As many as a thousand students are expected to get a close look at dozens of construction trades and determine what the work is really like through 70 hands-on activities ranging from plumbing and welding to operating heavy equipment.
The students will also learn what the jobs pay and what kind of benefits are provided.
“Heavy Metal and Ca$hing In Career Days” are sponsored by the Workforce Development Alliance and a $5 million, three-year Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. The goal of the grant is to develop a labor force that meets the needs of the region’s emerging economy.
Other fair partners include the Idaho Department of Labor, Region IV Economic Development, the Magic Valley Builders Association, the Building Contractors Association of the Wood River Valley and the Association of General Contractors.
The fair runs from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, May 7; from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, May 8; and again from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 9.
The first two days are reserved exclusively for students, but parents and the general public can attend on Saturday to see what the young people learned.