William Edwards, an electrician for Local Union No. 3 IBEW in Westchester, has been participating in Construction Career Day for a decade now.
Held at Rockland Community College in Suffern, the event is a chance for unions and private companies to send representatives to work with students in demonstrations such as welding, carpentry, and soldering.
Students also get the chance to operate backhoes, mini-excavators, and skid steers. In addition to hands-on demonstrations, students can speak with representatives from construction firms, unions, and colleges that offer construction programs.
“I love doing it because I get to interact with the students,” Edwards says. “Some of the students are really interested in getting involved in the trades, and that’s nice to see.”
The day is hosted by the Construction Industry Council and the Building Contractors Association of Westchester & Mid-Hudson, Inc. In 2025, the event will take place on March 28. Interested 11th and 12th graders are invited to attend. The day before Construction Career Day, on March 27, Rockland Community College will also host Construction Career Night, an event that is open to the public — including high school students, guidance counselors and parents. Families will have an opportunity to learn about the construction industry by attending discussions with and demonstrations by building-trades professionals. Pre-registration is now available.
Both events are designed to bring younger talent into the labor force as the construction industry is facing a shortage of skilled workers. The organizers behind the event hope to address the shortage to continue building and growing infrastructure as needed.
For Edwards, the day is a great time to connect with younger people and show them a few skills electricians use on a daily basis.
Many of the demonstrations that Edwards and other volunteers from his union do with students involve hands-on activities such as pipe bending. Here, he gets to show people what a typical day at work might look like and let them test their skills in electrical work.
“I’ve been doing this since the 1980s, and it’s been a great career for me,” Edwards says. “It’s out in the field, which can be hard sometimes, but I don’t think I could have sat inside for an office job when I was younger.”
Michael Clifford, a field representative for Bricklayers and Allied Craft Workers Local 1, has been volunteering his time to Construction Career Day for 20 years. He said the day is great because there are always skilled people retiring from the trades, and it makes him happy to see new people interested in the field.
“It’s hard work, but it’s a good career,” Clifford says. “Benefits, pensions, good pay, and we cover the cost of schooling.”
On Construction Career Day, Clifford says he usually sets up mock spaces where students can lay bricks and plaster. He encourages students to look into different trades if the idea of going to college doesn’t sound like a good fit for them.
Clifford says the ability to get paid during apprenticeships and trade school is unique and can really benefit people. There are opportunities to start in non-union or union jobs, and there’s always room for growth, he adds.
When Clifford started, he was making less than $3 an hour. Then, he became a laborer and started making more money and gaining skills. Soon enough, he joined the labor union and moved up the ranks through different positions throughout his career. He says it was a “good ride.”
When asked what advice Clifford would give to students looking to enter a trade, he says, “Show up every day on time, try your best, and you will be ok.”
Looking to enter a trade? Check out the next Construction Career Day to hear about all of your options. To learn more about the event, contact the Construction Industry Council’s Sharon Regan Masciovecchio at 914.631.6070 or sharon@cicnys.org.
Related: What to Know About Joining a Union in Westchester County
