Celebrating Careers in Construction Month
Careers in Construction Month is a nationwide celebration and recognition of the career opportunities that exist throughout the construction industry.
October is Careers in Construction Month, a month-long celebration of the rewarding and well-compensated career paths available in the building trades industry. 
Throughout the month, the Construction Careers Foundation, a Minneapolis-St. Paul nonprofit dedicated to helping young people discover careers in construction shared stories of real trades professionals, participated in career-focused events, and interviewed Minnesota educators helping students find their way to rewarding careers in the state’s construction industry.
With a projected 1 million craft professionals needed by 2023, the construction industry is full of long-term career opportunities for young people interested in learning a skill set. Because of an increasing shortage of construction workers in central Minnesota, the Summit Academy OIC, an accredited vocational institution offering 20-week trades learning programs, plans to offer a construction satellite center in St. Cloud so students don’t have to travel to its Minneapolis location according to WJON.
“If a student is 18 years of age and expected to graduate (or will earn a GED), they can already apply for apprenticeship opportunities,” said Associate Director for the Construction Careers Foundation Mary Stuart. “In October, we attended Career Connect Day in St. Paul this year to bring construction career awareness to more than 2,500 Twin Cities high school sophomores.”
While young people represent the majority of future construction trades candidates, it’s educators and counselors in Minnesota schools who continue to spread awareness of the trades and promote programs for students to get hands-on experience.
Humboldt High School educator T.J. Austin’s goal is to help his students learn about careers in construction and choose one to pursue as a career after graduation. Austin joined Construction Career Foundations’ summer paid internship program called the Minnesota Trades Academy, where he mentored students interested in construction.
“It’s my first summer with the Minnesota Trades Academy and I already have two students starting construction apprenticeships,” Austin said. “They left our team for the sprinkler fitters union and the finishing trades. By the end of summer, I will shake their hands and wish them the best as they start a career in construction.”
Read more perspectives from local Minnesota shop and trades educators and counselors on our Blog page.
Connecting Young People and Educators with Careers in Construction Resources
Recognizing October as Careers in Construction Month generates awareness for the construction industry and helps promote career opportunities to individuals who may not have otherwise considered construction as a career choice.
To date, Minnesota and 47 other states have filed proclamation requests for Careers in Construction Month to celebrate rewarding careers and recognize the men and women who build America.
Visit Constructioncareers.org for more information about the apprenticeship process and the benefits of joining a union and starting an apprenticeship. We welcome educators and counselors to reach out to us on LinkedIn. Students can download the
free Construction Trades App to receive alerts about career fields they are interested in on GooglePlay and Apple App Stores.