Chapter Spotlight: Hawaii Construction Career Day

The 13th Annual Hawaii Construction Career Day event was held this year on October 24th in Hilo.

This event provides high school students grades 9-12 an insight into career opportunities available in the construction industry.  The event is sponsored in part by the Hawaii State Department of Transportation, trade and labor organizations, private construction companies, corporate sponsors and more.  The purpose of this event is to give the students an insight into the industry and get them thinking of making construction their career.

This is the third time that it has been held in Hilo with 640 students attending this year.  Students are bused in from high schools around the island, even as far away as Kona, where they are given the opportunity to learn about the various phases of the construction industry.  Students are divided into groups and toured through three areas:  trades (electrical, carpentry, plumbing, masonry, etc.) where they can do some hands on activities; visit with various construction companies, suppliers, trades, UH and Community College representatives; and the heavy equipment area, where the students are given the chance to operate the equipment (with supervision).  This is always their favorite!

Over the years, I have the students, two at a time, play a word find in a puzzle.  All words are construction related.  The winner gets a prize of some kind.  This year I was able to purchase a couple of items with our NAWIC logo on it.  One was a NAWIC pen and the other a combination cell phone stand and phone face cleaner.  This was an extremely popular “prize” for the students and even the teacher or guides.  They even played the game against each other to win.  Quite funny. There was a lot of girls this year.  I think the most I’ve ever seen at the event since the Kauai event. 

I was very fortunate to have help this year from Leah Borsting, Darlean Kiyokane, and Shannon Burke.  Although it was really hot in the building, we had a good time.  Next, on to Maui for the next HCCD event on November 15th.

(June Keaton, Committee Chair)