(April 10, 2008) – Today, nearly 500 students from 11 Prince George’s County high schools participated in the fifth annual Construction and Engineering Career Day, hosted this year by Aggregate Industries in Clinton, Md.
Activity and laboratory testing stations provided construction-oriented students with a realistic on-the-job atmosphere and allowed them to work with road construction materials such as concrete, asphalt and aggregate. Students conducted soil sample tests, and participated in model bridge building and hydraulics design exercises. Students also saw demonstrations of specialized equipment used in road construction including a milling machine, paver, vibratory roller, tack truck and maintenance-of-traffic vehicle. Aggregate Industries also provided students with a guided tour of their Clinton facility, which includes concrete and hot-mix asphalt, and sand/gravel operations.
“It is important to not only enlighten students on the construction and engineering fields, but also the long-term opportunities that careers in these fields can provide,” said State Highway Administrator Neil J. Pedersen. “We hope to reach students early in their education and encourage their interest in science to prepare them for future engineering careers.”
Engineering students participated in interactive presentations focusing on different phases of the project development process such as planning, survey, design, structures, traffic and construction management. Local firms, contractors, material producers, suppliers, State Highway Administration and Federal Highway Administration personnel served as presenters.
Career and education information was also provided, directing students to colleges and universities that offer degree, certificate and continuing education programs in construction and engineering.
“Aggregate Industries was proud to host this year’s Career Day and to do our part to promote the exciting variety of career opportunities in highway construction and engineering in our industry,” said Jim Payne, Aggregate Industries’ Vice President of Government Affairs. “Today’s youth are the foundation that will support our industry for many years to come and it was encouraging to see the excitement in the eyes of the students generated by the equipment demonstrations and hands-on exhibits.”
Attending this year’s event were students from the following Prince George’s County High Schools: Laurel, Crossland, Forestville Military Academy, Suitland, Dr. Henry Wise, C.H. Flowers, Tall Oaks Vocational, Gwynn Park, Croom Vocational, Northwestern, and Parkdale. Students were selected to participate based on an expressed interest in construction and engineering career opportunities.
Construction and Engineering Career Day is sponsored by SHA and the Maryland Quality Initiative (MdQI), a cooperative effort by Maryland's highway industry dedicated to the continuous quality improvement in the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of Maryland's highway system. Other sponsors include Michael Baker Jr., Inc.; Carolina Stalite Co.; Development Facilitators; EBA Engineering; Indam Engineers; Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson; KCI Technologies; L. S. Lee, Inc.; Maryland Asphalt Association; E. Stewart Mitchell; Rummel, Klepper & Kahl; Thomas, Bennett & Hunter, Inc., and Whitney, Bailey Cox & Magnani.
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