Clyde Companies recently welcomed high school seniors enrolled in the MTECH Civil Construction Foundations Course along with their parents to learn more about careers in construction.
Scott Okelberry, COO of Clyde Companies, opened the event by sharing thoughts about building a meaningful career in the industry.
“We are builders,” Scott said. “We make people’s everyday lives better in ways they don’t think about. It’s very satisfying to be driving somewhere with your children and say, ‘I helped build that.’”
In the first hour, leaders from Suncore, Geneva Rock and WW Clyde held workshops about different career paths, including Project Management, Construction Management, Estimating and Construction Technology.
During the second hour, students completed a hands-on case study while parents attended a session focused on career development and Clyde Companies’ total rewards package. This included a retirement savings simulation, showing how much a team member could accumulate by age 65 through a typical Clyde career if they began investing at age 18. For many parents, this was eye-opening, showing just how lucrative a career in construction could be.
The response from those in attendance was overwhelmingly positive.
One parent remarked, “I wish they had a program like this when I was getting started. What an amazing opportunity for my son.” Another added, “This has been very eye-opening to me that you don’t have to go to college to have a great career. So, how do our kids get a job here?”
The group also included Ryan Nield, Director of Career and Technical Education for Alpine School District, who attended with his son, who is currently enrolled in the course.
He shared his appreciation for the event and Clyde Companies’ investment in the program, noting, “We love to see those in the industry like Clyde Companies involved like this,” Ryan said. “There is so much opportunity in the trades, and your company is leading the way. I have two sons here because I called my 20-year-old son, who isn’t in the course but just changed his major to Construction Management, and said, ‘You need to come over here.’”
Many of the students expressed strong interest in joining one of our companies after graduating. Toward the end of the event, recruiters and managers from Suncore, WW Clyde and Geneva Rock spent time answering questions, exchanging information and ensuring students were aware of upcoming opportunities as they approach graduation.
This is another example of Clyde Companies living its mission of building a better community by investing in the next generation of builders.
