Roxbury Hosts 500+ Students for Hands-On Construction Career Day
ROXBURY, NJ – Hundreds of North Jersey high school students converged recently at the Roxbury School District’s Meeker Street Pavilion to learn about career opportunities in the construction trades.
The “Build My Future” event was hosted by the Metropolitan Builders & Contractors Association of New Jersey (Metro BCA), which said the “construction career day and industry showcase” was a big success.
“The inaugural event brought together over 500 students from 12 high schools across Morris, Essex, Union, Warren, Hunterdon, Bergen and Somerset counties for a half-day, interactive introduction to New Jersey’s thriving construction and trades industries,” said Metro BCA.
It said the students participated in more than 25 hands-on learning labs, “giving them practical exposure to careers such as carpentry, electrical, roofing, architecture, cabinetry, surveying, flooring, plumbing, windows & doors, and more.”
The students were guided by local trade professionals who provided demonstrations, engaged them in equipment operations and challenged them with real-world problem-solving activities. The organization described the event as being “a landmark moment for workforce development” in the state.
It specifically thanked Roxbury High School Structural and Fabrication Design Instructor Frank Caccavale for “being instrumental to the success” of the event.
“This event exceeded every expectation,” said Dane Rohmann, chair of the Build My Future planning committee. “Seeing students light up when they discovered new skills and career paths was incredible. This is exactly what our industry needs: A pipeline of energized, informed young talent.”