St. Cloud area high school students will soon get a hands-on chance to try out various construction-related experiences and learn about apprenticeship opportunities in many in-demand careers. The annual St. Cloud Construct Tomorrow event will draw hundreds of students from 18 school to St. Cloud State University’s Halenbeck Hall.
The St. Cloud event is one of a series of Construct Tomorrow events around Minnesota sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI), Construction Career Pathways (CCP) and Ames Construction.
The Construct Tomorrow team brings representatives from multiple trades to a site designated by the host
and provides hands-on experiences for the students who get to work with apprentices and journey-level workers. There are over 25 different careers available in the construction industry including Heat and Frost Insulators, Pipe Fitters, Plumbers, Electricians, Sprinkler Fitters, Bricklayers to name just a few. Students have fun interacting with the trades by working wire circuits, walking on beams, virtual welding, troweling cement, setting tile and more.
The construction industry has many in-demand careers with strong self-sustaining wages. Apprentices can start at $15 an hour, plus paid benefits and free technical training. Apprenticeships provide training with minimal education costs and within 3-5 years (depending on the trade), the person will graduate or journey out. Some construction occupations can pay $30-40 an hour.
Mike Ganz from the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC) Local Union 1 of Minnesota is a key player in the St Cloud event, working closely with Construct Tomorrow members, Career Solutions and Career Force in setting up the event, contacting schools and volunteering at the event.
“It’s really great to see students get into the activities at Construct Tomorrow events – it’s a great opportunity for hands-on career exploration,” said Mike Ganz. “Plus students learn about well-paying construction jobs and how apprenticeships can put them on the path to a great career without a major education expenses.”
Upcoming Construct Tomorrow events:
- St. Cloud - January 29 from 9am to 2:30pm at St. Cloud State University in Halenbeck Hall Field House
- Hinckley - February 20 at Hinckley Event Center
- Duluth - February 25 & 26 at Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC)
- Moorhead - March 26 at Moorhead High School Field House
Southern Minnesota Construct Tomorrow events usually take place in the fall.
For more information or to register for a Construct Tomorrow, please go to: https://constructtomorrow.org/upcoming-events/
Della Ludwig is the CareerForce Workforce Strategy Consultant for Central Minnesota.
