Building Good Relationships

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

Fifteen students from the GSA Building Futures Project got an up-close and personal site tour of the St. Elizabeth's West Campus redevelopment project with Clark Construction last Thursday. "It was my first time on a construction site," said student Kevin Ball, "I learned the ins and outs of the worksite and now I know how to build a good relationship with an employer. It was a great experience for me." Students met with Clark executives and project managers for an overview of the project, a safety orientation, and a walking tour of the erosion control and dirt removal work now underway. "This was a great opportunity for our students to see the real world of construction and to get excited about their future employment prospects," said Job Development Coordinator Jenna Gold. "The scale of this project is really impressive and the students had a lot of great questions about how it all works." The Building Futures Project currently has qualified graduates who are available for entry-level construction trades jobs, Gold reports. Interested hiring agents can contact her 202-974-8157 or jgold@dclaborarchives.org for candidate recommendations. - photo by Jenna Gold