b'SPECIAL FEATURE: INDUSTRY PROMOTIONBUILDING BRIDGESThe 2024 Manitoba Construction Career Expo sparked opportunity in the minds of youth and linked many already interested in the trades with organizations and companies eager to support them in getting started down the construction career pathOn May 8, 2024, more than 1,300 hightrades here in Manitoba will encouragetry it out. And for us, if they do decide school students and 20 exhibitorsyoung people to consider this fulfillingto go that way in the future, then descended on Red River Exhibitioncareer path, says Moses. I applaudthey know we can teach them how to Place for the 2024 Manitobathe work of the Winnipeg Constructionpursue their dreams and fulfillConstruction Career Expo. The eventAssociation for bringing all thesetheir goals.is always an exciting day that givespartners together to show students allAt the neighbouring masonry exhibit, students the chance to get a littlethat skilled trades have to offer.hands-on experience with a varietyThe event featured close to 30 differentstudents took turns laying bricks and of trades, at a time in their lives whencareers in constructioneverythingcontributing to a finished productan theyre making important decisionsfrom concrete and carpentry to electricalimpressive Roman arc and a wall.about what career paths to pursue. and drywall. High school students keptOur goal here is to just start planting This years event was supportedthemselves busy going from booththe seed in the kids minds as to by Apprenticeship Manitoba andto booth and getting their hands dirtywhether its something that they would the Province of Manitoba, with theworking with wet concrete, hammeringlike to pursue in the future. And really, Honourable Jamie Moses, Minister ofnails, drilling drywall screws, operating aits about exposure. Its all hands on. Economic Development, Investment,mini excavator, trying a front-end loaderMost of the kids here have never laid Trade and Natural Resources, makingsimulator and riding in a scissor lift. a brick before, says Peter Schuster, time to tour the expo floor on theWeve had a lot of kids really interestedDirector of Business Development morning of the event. in trying out the heavy equipment justfor the Manitoba Masonry Institute. It is amazing to see so many studentsto see if its something that they wantThe masons, both male and female, from all across Manitoba have theto pursue, says Jordan James, Trainingthey take the time to show them what opportunity for this kind of hands-onDirector for the Operating Engineersthe technique is and how to build it learning. Demonstrating the array ofTraining Institute of Manitoba. It givesstraight, and hopefully well get future opportunities for them in the skilledthem the real hands-on opportunity tomasons out of this.CAREER EXPO SPONSORSPRESENTED BY:BUILDING FUTURES SPONSORS:PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS: Skills Manitoba, SAFE Workers of Tomorrow and St. John Ambulance24 BUILD MANITOBAwinnipegconstruction.ca'