MOUNT JOY, Pa. — Aaron Adams is the head of the project and the instructor of the Introduction to Construction Careers class which allows students to learn the basic skills of a variety of construction careers.
Adams explains, “We started the project last year, but it got shut down for COVID, so we started the ground running this year with school, when school started.”
A project that’s been in the works for months is officially complete.
Students from the Lancaster County Career & Technology Center’s Mount Joy Campus have been swarming over the construction site for a storage pole barn that sits right next to the soccer field in Cove Outlook Park on Old Market Street.
“It worked out really well that we had a live project to build versus just building something in my classroom and tearing it apart which is what we typically do – unless we can find something in the community to do like this," Adams says.
This barn-raising project is a collaboration with Donegal Youth Soccer to build a large storage shed that will be used to house jerseys, line equipment, and goals.
Adams explains, “We learned how to pour concrete, we learned how to frame walls, we learned how to frame the roof, build the roof, install the exterior finishes.”
The students from Lancaster County CTC get on-site work experience, and at the same time, this program can save some local organizations some expenses.
Adams says, “This program means a lot to them. They’re on their path to becoming either tournament construction workers or they want to continue their education at a post-secondary level.”
The experience these students are getting through the Lancaster County CTC allows them to test drive their future careers, and get a head start on those careers.
“I think it’s really important to them, they seem to love it. You know, most of them continue on with this career and get good jobs, real good jobs in the area," Adams explains.