Smithfield Students Get a Look at Construction Industry

More than 100 Smithfield students in Jeff Macari's Enginerring and Technology classes joined 1,600 students from local high schools for the 13th Annual Construction Career Days event at RIDOT's midtstate maintenance facility in East Greenwich April 24 through 25. 

The Construction Career Days event, held annually, provides a hands-on learning experiences for training in the transportation trades. This event is intended to introduce students to the construction industry and encourage them to pursue a career in the field. 

The event featured the fourth annual bridge building competition, where schools were challenged to work as a team to design and build a bridge out of balsa wood. At the construction career day event, each bridge was tested for strength and judged by members of Rhode Island Consulting Engineers (RICE). Trophies were awarded for first, second and third place based on the amount of weight held and the cost of construction. The winning schools were the CADD School, Tiverton High School, Scituate High School, Ponaganset High School, and the Eleanor Briggs School.

The event also featured a truck simulator with wrap-around screens and the same steering wheel, pedals, and transmission shifter found in real trucks. The simulator was programmed so the students could “drive” a variety of trucks such as snowplows, box trucks, fire trucks and city buses. Students were also able to operate variousconstruction equipment such as backhoes, excavators, pavers, and bucket trucks. 

There were also a variety of booths and tables to showcase welding, plumbing, electrical, landscaping, and other aspects of the construction industry. College and university representatives attended to speak to students about construction industry careers.