The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) is once again joining the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the University of Rhode Island Transportation Center (URITC) to celebrate National Transportation Week (May 17-21) with a wide range of activities.
Kicking off the week will be the 10th Annual Construction Career Days on Wednesday, May 19 and Thursday, May 20 at RIDOT’s Midstate Maintenance Facility in East Greenwich. This two-day event, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., introduces high school students to the transportation trades industry. Approximately 1,200 students from 54 technical and high schools throughout the State are anticipated to attend. These students represent the pool of workers from which the construction industry will recruit its workforce. Annually, there is a national need to fill 250,000 job openings in the construction industry.
New this year will be a bridge building competition sponsored by the URITC, Rhode Island Consulting Engineers (RICE) and RIDOT. Prior to the event, local schools were encouraged to participate by working as a team to design and build a bridge out of balsa wood. At the event, the bridges will be tested for strength and judged by members of RICE. The winning team on each of the two days will receive a pizza party at their school.
Back by popular demand at Construction Career Days will be a truck simulator whose console has wrap-around screens and the same steering wheel, pedals and transmission shifter found in large trucks. The simulator is programmed so the students can “drive” a variety of trucks such as snowplows, box trucks, fire trucks and city buses. Students will also be able to operate a wide range of construction equipment such as backhoes, excavators, pavers and bucket trucks. Inside the Midstate facility, there will be a variety of booths and tables to showcase welding, plumbing, electrical, landscaping and other disciplines. Also, a number of technical schools and colleges will be attendance.
Anticipated schools and dates of attendance include:
Wednesday, May 19 Bristol: Mount Hope High School Chepachet: Harmony Hill School Cranston: Cranston Area Career & Technical Center; Cranston Charter/NELCPS; Cranston High School East Cumberland: Cumberland High School East Providence: Bradley Hospital Exeter: Exeter Job Corp Harrisville: Burrillville High School Johnston: Calef School Lincoln: Davies Career and Technical High School; Lincoln High School; Lincoln High School Transition Group Narragansett: Narragansett High School Newport: East Bay Met School; Newport Area Career & Technical Academy North Kingstown: Forward View Academy Pawtucket: The Tides School Providence: CCAP Learn to Earn Skills Center; Central Falls High School Goodwill Industries; GAP/TD Program; Providence Career & Technical Academy; The College Crusade of Rhode Island; The Tides School/Providence Warwick: The Eleanor Briggs School West Warwick: The Tides School Woonsocket: Woonsocket Area Career & Technical Center
Thursday, May 20 Bristol: Mount Hope High School My Turn Program Coventry: Coventry High School Regional Career & Technical Center Cranston: Cranston ARC/Cornerstone School; Cranston Charter/NELCPS Cumberland: Cumberland High School Special Needs Class East Providence: East Providence Career & Technical Center Lincoln: Spurwink School II; William M. Davies Career & Technical School North Kingstown: North Kingstown High School North Providence: North Providence High School North Scituate: Scituate High School North Smithfield: North Smithfield High School Pawtucket: Northern Rhode Island Collaborative; Shea High School; Tolman High School Providence: Mount Pleasant High School; Ocean Tides High School; Providence Center School; Youthbuild Providence; The College Crusade of Rhode Island Smithfield: Smithfield High School Wakefield: South Kingstown High School Warwick: West Bay Collaborative RI Transition Academy Wood River Junction: Chariho Career & Technical Center; Chariho Regional High School Woonsocket: Beacon Charter High School
Schools participating in the bridge building competition include:
East Providence: Bradley Hospital Harrisville: Burrillville High School Lincoln: Lincoln High School; Spurwink School II North Kingstown: Forward View Academy Pawtucket: Tolman High School Providence: CCAP Learn to Earn Skills Center Warwick: Eleanor Briggs School; West Bay Collaborative RI Transition Academy
Additional Construction Career Day sponsors include Construction Industries of Rhode Island, New England Laborers Tri Funds, Local 57 Operating Engineers, Beacon Mutual Insurance Company, Rhode Island Public Works Association, Rhode Island Builders Association, and the Rhode Island Technology Transfer Center.
MEDIA PLEASE NOTE: For an opportunity to interview students from your coverage area and exhibitors, please contact Heidi Gudmundson at (401) 222-1362 x. 4009 or hgudmundson@dot.ri.gov.
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DIRECTIONS: Take I-95 North or South to Exit 7 (West Warwick, Coventry). Follow signs.
Contact: Heidi Gudmundson (401) 222-1362 x. 4009