A couple dozen school employees toured the C Street parking garage in Sparks Wednesday, a future construction site that will turn the garage into high-rise apartments. The tour was part of a two day externship put on by the Nevada Chapter of Associated General Contractors. It's an opportunity for local teachers to learn about the construction industry, but also about methods to earn a career in construction.
Michelle Lane teaches at Reno High School and has attended eight externships put on by AGC. She says she learns something new every time, but she does it to learn about resources for the students.
"So then we can drive them in this area and talk about what we've learned in the externships," Lane says. "And how they can go be apprentices and go talk to the unions and just get involved."
Josh Backman is a field operations manager for Neeser Construction, the contractor of the C Street parking garage project. Backman was the tour guide Wednesday, and says he continues taking part in externships, because he took advantage of the same opportunities these teachers are learning about and will pass on to the young generation.
"I went to a two-year technical school and came up through the trades and now managing work," Backman says. "And [I] took that route versus the traditional four-year college route."
Nancy Casper teaches with Lane at Reno High School and both have students who prefer hands-on work and could use options other than college. Casper says there are few chances for students to learn about those opportunities, or even it might be something they're interested in.
"Auto shop, carpentry and things like that we don't have those things in school anymore," Casper says. "So to be able to direct our students and give them that information, so they can make a decent living and live independently."
Lane says this year she noticed something positive that will help students learn about all of their options.
"What was also exciting about the externship today was that there were several school counselors," Lane says as Casper nods in agreement. "And so they can help guide the students to different paths other than the 'everybody's going to college' path."
Lane says she hopes more counselors will continue to attend AGC externships.
If you want to learn more about these opportunities, you can ask your school administration if anyone at your school attended the externship, or you can visit the AGC website here: www.NevadaAGC.org
