RIDOT Hosts 18th Annual RhodeWorks Construction Career Days

April 27, 2017 4:48 pm

By: Tim Studebaker

EAST GREENWICH, R.I. – You may not expect to see teens operating heavy machinery, but that was the goal at the RhodeWorks Construction Career Days, which took place Wednesday and Thursday at the RIDOT Midstate Maintenance Facility.

In just two days, RIDOT took 1,200 students from nearly 50 schools, and showed them what it’s like to do their jobs.

RIDOT Spokesman Charles St. Martin says, "[They can] see what career opportunities may be available for them that they’re maybe not immediately aware of."

They had plenty of hands on experiences and the chance to talk to professionals about what they do for work.

Edward Golden, a Highway Graphics Technician, says, "They get a good gist of what the state puts out there for highway signage and why the certain colors are out there – what they all mean – what each sign represents."

Edward Kalunian, another Highway Graphics Technician, says, "These are all growing industries. These jobs are requiring a higher level of skill than they did a few years ago, so it’s really important that we get the new blood in there to keep them going."

RIDOT hopes the best way to get students interested in the field is to show them the tools of the trade.

Kristen Raposa, the Apprenticeship Training Coordinator for Local 57 says, "Actually being able to get into a machine that they wouldn’t be able to get into any other way – it’s a very great experience for them, it really is."

We caught up with some of the students to ask them what they think of the event. Andrew McGarry and Fiona Crawford are both 10^th graders at Block Island School.

McGarry says, "We’re learning the trades. I mean, this is the real world – the jobs that people work every day. It’s not math and equations."

Crawford says, "I think it’s been really valuable. It teaches you how to do a lot of cool stuff and shows everything that can go on in the community."