MERIDIAN, Idaho — Idaho Associated General Contractors hosts over one hundred students for the Construction Combine and Trades Day event. Dozens of seasoned skilled laborers taught them through hands-on activities.
- The Home Depot Foundation donates the project materials, event space, and volunteers, while community members and contractors volunteer their time, skills, and monetary support to work with the students and give back to their community.
- The work sheds built will be donated to local veterans through Idaho Veterans Chamber of Commerce.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
Every hammer, screw, and level... is opening doors for high school students across the Treasure Valley.
“You learn responsibility. I feel like it just opens a lot of opportunities for future careers,” said Fabian Lopez, a Senior at Ontario High School.
The two day Construction Combine allows students to learn hands-on skills from seasoned contractors, and about career opportunities in the construction industry.
"They get to learn how to put roofing together, they get to learn how to do siding, framing, electrical work, plumbing, you name it." said Sean Leonardi, the store manager at The Home Depot in Meridian.
“Anything from hands-on, playing in the mud, to clickity-clacking on the computer, and I’ve done everything from the bottom to the top. So, we need more people,” said Daylon Sims, who atteneded a Construction Combine in the past and is now working as a Project Engineer at Winspear Construction.
“Besides the trades day going on behind me, we are building 10 sheds from the ground up, working alongside contractors, the students are building them and those sheds will be donated to veterans in the area,” said Molly Johnson, the Director of Workforce Development for Idaho Associated General Contractors.
This is the fourth year the Meridian Home Depot store has partnered with Idaho AGC, donating materials for the projects. Providing a space for the students to learn from industry leaders.
Even I got a chance to, join the fun and test out some of the equipment.
“As a home improvement retailer, that’s something we’re pretty passionate about. Is allowing students to get exposed to this, where we need those skilled laborers in the future,” Sean
A 2022 study by Idaho’s Department of Labor showed that ‘Carpenters’ and ‘Construction Laborers’ are in the top three for projected growth.
“There’s a lot of opportunities out there for jobs and they pay well. You get out of school and you can go in with experience and jobs will take you in more for that,” said Esgar Garcia Jr., a Senior at Ontario High School.
More than the experience gained in the two day event, the donated work sheds will build a stronger community.
“My father and my uncle, they're all veterans, a lot of veterans in my family, so I knew I could give back to the community by helping out,” said Sims.
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Drone footage provided by Boise Aerial Drone Photography.
