Nearly 1,100 area high school students participated in Building Trades Day at University of Notre Dame.
First held in 2023, Building Trades Day offers high school students the opportunity to explore career pathways in the trades. Students take part in conversations and hands-on activities with contractors and tradespeople. They also tour active construction sites.
The day seeks to raise public awareness and perception of the trades. It highlights the role tradespeople and the construction industry play in the economic growth of the Region, state and country.
The University of Notre Dame presented Building Trades Day in partnership with the Michiana Area Construction Industry Advancement Fund, St. Joseph Valley Building Trades, South Bend Regional Chamber of Commerce and Greater Niles Chamber of Commerce.
About 80 local contractors, trades organizations and training partners attended the event. Amazon Web Services and Pipefitters Local Union 172 were among the participants.
Students toured three construction sites on campus in various stages of completion: the Jack and Kathy Shields Family Hall, the Southeast Campus Geothermal Plant and two new residence halls.
“Essentially, what we have is our entire contracting industry is here today,” said Anthony Polotto, Notre Dame senior director of construction and quality assurance, in a press release. “A lot of hands-on activities. Let students install some stuff; install some slate and copper, weld some pipe, do some virtual reality to let people know what construction is really like in this day and age.”
Adriel Younger from Niles High School participated in the event. Younger is part of the school’s career and technical education program. He is working on his welding certification.
“It’s a really good event,” Younger said. “It’s helpful for students to further expand their knowledge on what the (trades) actually have to offer them, and what kinds of jobs they can do.”
