It’s about making a good living working with your hands. It’s about remaining close to home. It’s about avoiding student loan debt. It’s about opportunity.
Those are the primary points that representatives of several local trades will convey to those who visit this year’s Construction Career and Job Fair on Wednesday at the Wheeling Park Ice Rink. The event is slated for 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
“That’s one of the best parts about this event,” said Doug Giffin, president of IBEW Chapter 141 in Wheeling. “Not only do they hear about the wages, benefits, and the positions, but they get to see it with their own eyes, too. When we hold this fair, I think a lot of people learn the truth about our local trades.
“I was someone who had to go to college to figure out that it wasn’t what I wanted to do,” he explained. “Once I joined the IBEW, I knew that working with my hands was the right fit. I’ve seen too many people make the mistake of going to college, earning their degrees, and then working in a totally unrelated field because they couldn’t find anything in the valley. That, or they move away forever.”
That is exactly why Erikka Storch, the executive director of Project BEST, hopes to see parents with their sons and/or daughters at the career and job fair.
“If you know someone who is between 18 and 30 years old and they want to stay home but they can’t find a good enough job in the area, let them know about this career fair because a lot of people would like to tell you about what they do and how much they can earn,” Storch said. “I believe it’s a great place for parents to take their kids so they can learn about the different jobs they can do with their hands.
“For us, it’s about showcasing the building trades and the men and women who are members of local unions. They’ll also get the chance to learn about how much these men and women make on the job,” she explained. “I know we repeat ‘earn while you learn’ all of the time, but this is our opportunity to put it all on display for everyone to see for themselves.”
Under One Roof
Meteorologists with the National Weather Service have predicted warm temperatures for Wednesday, but there is a chance of a stray shower or thunderstorm.
The possibility of rain, though, does not matter to those involved with the job fair.
“Wheeling Park’s ice rink really is perfect for this event at this time of year because it’s under roof, and if a family does want to come out to the event, there are plenty of other activities that you can enjoy while at the park,” Giffin said. “We really never know who is going to become a member when we do these job fairs because the members of the local trades come from all areas of the Upper Ohio Valley.
“There are plenty of opportunities for everyone who wishes to get involved,” he said. “If there is a man or woman who is curious, come talk to us. When we share all of the aspects of working with the local trades, we always surprise people with the real information.”
The Construction Career and Job Fair also is Storch’s chance to educate those in attendance about Project BEST, a non-profit organization created and supported by the Upper Ohio Valley Building Trades and the Ohio Valley Construction Employers Council. The outfit facilitates industry development and promotes the Ohio Valley’s public and private construction.
“It’s an opportunity for people in our community to see what the trades have to offer here in the valley so they can either stay home or come home to where they were raised,” Storch said. “It gives us a chance to understand the wage and benefit package that many of the trades offer, and the education the members receive during their apprenticeships.
“When I hear negative comments about the construction trades, I just shake my head because I know that individual doesn’t have all of the information,” she said. “It’s a chance for people to learn what Project BEST is all about, and what careers are available right here at home.”
