VALLEY, Neb. (KMTV) — Thursday, high school students were playing basketball and finding their way through obstacles, but this wasn't a gym class. They were playing these games using large construction equipment like excavators.
It was part of an equipment rodeo, put on by Valley Corp.
"This has been very useful for the kids coming in," Matt Bevington, CEO of Valley Corp, said. "They get a chance to see and run some of the equipment so they understand there’s not a huge barrier to understand. They can gain a little confidence to see that they can run this equipment and they can do it."
The day is also used to show students they don't have to go straight to a four year college degree path for success.
"There is a need for the trades and construction workforce as well. Every year our number continues to decrease and we’re trying to promote the fact that the construction industry and profession and trades in general are good long term professions to go into," Bevington said.
The Nebraska Department of Labor estimates the state's construction industry will see an 8.1% increase from 2018 to 2028.
That growth excites some students, like Eli Ambriv, a high school senior at DC West who attended Thursday's event.
"Right now it’s in such high demand there’s some funding going into infrastructure so there’s great time to go in. The pay is there. As long as you show up on time you’re good," Ambriv said.
Ambriv also points to some of the benefits of trades as a reason he sees himself going that route.
"[You're] less likely to have five days out of the week you have classes or something, you’re paying less in tuition, you can have a full time job and some businesses will compensate and you can go to class on a Saturday," he said.
Valley Corp offers a paid internship for recent high school graduates.