Students in Wausau East High School’s new Carpentry and Residential Construction and Advanced Manufacturing classes are getting the most out of their education with the help of concrete product donations from County Materials Corporation. After both Wausau West and Wausau East High Schools opened new career and technical facilities last year, the schools were looking for ways students could learn construction skills and become more involved in the district and community. Wausau East students partnered with Creative Design of Aniwa WI, along with the Wausau Builders Association and County Materials Corporation to construct baseball dugouts at their school.
Students from Wausau East began building two dugouts last spring and have plans to build two more during the 2018-19 school year. County Materials has donated ready-mix, concrete masonry units, mortar and other materials necessary to make these projects a possibility. Students designed the plans for the dugouts and worked alongside professional masons from Creative Design to learn hands-on skills that the construction industry values. The first two dugouts will be finished in the fall.
County Materials is a strong supporter of construction skills training offered by high schools, technical trades courses, and community organizations where the company has locations. According to the Associated General Contractors of America, 70 percent of construction companies across the country are having difficulty finding qualified workers. County Materials is dedicated to closing the skills gap by giving students the opportunity to have hands-on experience in the construction and manufacturing industries. County Materials works with school districts to educate students that construction and manufacturing offers high demand and good paying career options, and students can take advantage of hands-on learning opportunities like this to get valuable skills training and join the industry right out of high school.