BLB Attends the Youth in Remodeling Career Day
Yesterday, a handful of our team members traded their traditional roles to teachers at the Youth in Remodeling Career Day (YRCD) hosted by the Professional Remodelers Organization of New England (PRO New England) at the Bolton Fairgrounds in Lancaster, MA.
[The event] is a great opportunity for students to learn about the different careers and connect with businesses that offer [hands-on] experiences during their construction education.
PRO New England
YRCD, which returns after a multi-year COVID hiatus, creates awareness of careers in the residential remodeling industry to high school students attending Massachusetts Trade and Techincal schools. Over 600 students from eight schools across the state attended and participated in hands-on, interactive, and experiential activities relating to the residential trades. Students spent their time cycling through booths and activities, interacting and operating various tools, building with materials, powering mechanical fixtures, and attending mock interviews with organizations.
#FUTUREREMODELERS
Our Jr. Sales + Estimator, Tyler, advises carpentry students on how to properly space decking and where to install the screws.
BLB Design / Build is committed to increasing awareness of residential remodeling careers and interacting with the future of the trades. To make the experience fun and memorable, we constructed two 4′ x 4′ platforms for our hands-on activity to model the correct way to build and demolish residential decking, trim, and railings. Paired with a diagram of standard deck components and the “dos and don’ts of decking,” our lead carpenters provided students with the required tools and materials to complete the activity.
Working individually or as a group, and with the guidance of our lead carpenters, the students learned:
1. Where to place the newel posts and how to mount those to the framing.
2. How to install fascia boards around the deck’s perimeter properly.
3. How to accurately space decking on the platform and install the hidden fasteners.
4. How to continue with the railing system and install bottom and top rails, railing caps, and code-required balusters.
5. How to remove or demolish deck components without destroying the materials.
By participating in the deck build, students were entered to win a Craftsman handtool kit that we announced at the end of the event. Additionally, PRO New England provided each student with safety goggles and hard hats fitted with stickers from sponsors.
BLB’s deck activity welcomed hundreds of students immersed in the residential remodeling field. We would like to thank PRO New England for hosting an incredible event and the sponsors and organizations for creating such memorable experiences for the future of the workforce. We are already looking forward to next year!
