Students often get pushed to head directly to college after high school. Propelling students to immediately enter college has increased the need for workers in skilled trades. This trend is supported by the fact that the construction industry is at the highest level of employee demand since January 2008, and labor demand is still on the way up. Job opportunities in a growing industry are definitely worth exploring.
Rewarding careers in construction
The push for kids to attend college right out of high school comes from a stereotype that if young people want to set themselves up for a meaningful, rewarding and lucrative career, they need to get a four-year degree. But, for many future workers, this kind of degree isn’t the only avenue to success.
Construction industry careers encompass many different positions with different skillsets. The titles of these positions include Laborers, Grade Checkers, Pipe Layers, Concrete Finishers, Truck Drivers, Equipment Operators, Mechanics, Estimators and more. Each of these jobs offers opportunities for growth and advancement, and many even offer benefits and 401K matching—just like an office job, minus the necessity of being stuck at a desk and wearing a suit!
Getting Students Involved
Delta Sand & Gravel and Delta Construction Co. are excited to bring talented, passionate high school graduates onto our team. To set them up for success, we offer opportunities to introduce them to our industry and inform them about the value of careers in construction, while they are still in school.
Skilled to Work in Lane County
This spring, Delta partnered with KEZI 9 and other industry leaders on the Skilled to Work Initiative. Skilled To Work is an initiative in Western Oregon with the goal of improving the perception of working in trades. Our segment talked about the Lane County Sand & Gravel Mine Tour which Delta, Knife River, Wildish, Eugene Sand & Gravel, and Elevate Lane County hosted to educate local high school students about their local employment options after graduation.
Sand and Gravel Mine Tours
The fifth annual Lane County Sand and Gravel Mine Tour took place over April 4 and 5, 2018 and involved over 120 high school students from 9 different schools. This tour, part of For Youth | Lane Workforce Partnership, is one of an array of programs offered to local high school students.
These programs are designed to teach students employable skills in the industry. During the tour we covered Delta’s plant and pit operation, Knife River’s concrete and asphalt production, operation of mini excavators and concrete trucks, and the array of job opportunities available in the construction and aggregate industry.
Mining and Construction Job Fair
On April 12, Delta partnered with Elevate Lane County in hosting their first job fair for graduating high school seniors. Students who attended the Sand and Gravel tour at Delta the prior week were encouraged to participate. At the job fair, students were introduced to local employment opportunities through partnerships with several different local businesses.
Our partnerships with organizations like Lane Workforce Partnerships and Elevate Lane County help to make positive connections with students so they can take the next steps to build a career in the trades. Delta is excited to have hired three participants from Lane Workforce Partnership to join our construction team after their graduation from North Eugene High School in May of 2018.
Sign Up for Construction Utilities Career Day 2018!
We are now welcoming sign-ups for the Construction Utilities Career Day on September 27. Approximately 450 Lane County high school students are expected to attend. They will receive a hands-on introduction to the wide range of opportunities available in the construction and utilities industry. Sign up today!
You Can Still Get a Degree and Find a Great Job in Construction:
If you want to go to college, a degree can help expand your opportunities in the construction industry. Just ask our latest addition to the Delta team, Anneka Scarpino. Anneka joined Delta Construction through the ODOT/FHWA On the Job Trainee program (OJT) in April 2018.
At that time, she was brought on as a project engineer/assistant project manager in the bridges and structures division, where she is enrolled in the ODOT OJT program for Delta’s Southport Slough project in Coos Bay. She graduated from the University of Oregon in June 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in GSS and Business Administration, and now works full time for Delta Construction Co.
Anneka transitioned into the construction industry from a position as manager of the Latus Motors Harley-Davidson in Eugene, and she says she couldn’t be happier with her decision to change career fields. Anneka’s favorite part of the job is, “being on site where I get to apply the knowledge I have learned in the office… and joking with the guys about my two-handed hammer swing!”
Does Delta offer internships?
Yes! Delta Construction currently offers one internship position for college construction management majors in their second or third year. Anyone who is interested in an internship with Delta may apply online. Interviews typically take place in late March. We look forward to reviewing your application!
Contact Us
We are always happy to tell you more about our work and the construction or mining industry. Please feel free to contact us with any questions about our careers.