Riley Construction hosted 30 excited Kenosha Unified School District students participating in the annual KUSD Building Trades Careers Summer Camp this week at our Kenosha Headquarters. The purpose of the camp is to teach students in 7th through 9th grade about careers in construction through hands-on learning. The program had over 90 applicants, reflecting substantial interest from the KUSD students. Riley set up 5 stations for students to practice carpentry, drywall, masonry, concrete, and hand tools. They learned about various careers in construction in addition to working in the trades, including accounting, project management, and safety.
Nurturing Collaborative Skills in Construction
The students were welcomed back for a second day where they focused on the importance of teamwork and were able to participate in games! Students put their math skills to work as they played a game created by Riley’s Preconstruction Department using quotes from subcontractors to create an estimate for a shed. They also got to play different roles on a project team, acting as Superintendents, Project Managers, and Field Laborers to construct Lego buildings. Part of the team was able to see the building plans, while others could not, demonstrating the importance of communication in the construction industry.
Riley’s Construction Technology Department taught students to use a laser scanner to generate a 3D point-cloud of a building. The scanner captured millions of data points and combined the scans into a single 3D deliverable that could be used to document existing conditions. The students also used a Robotic Total Station to mark points based on a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) drawing and performed a fun layout activity, creating chalk lines between the points to recreate the KUSD logo.
On-site experience at Pleasant Prairie Police Station Jobsite
On the last day of the camp, students met at the Village Hall in Pleasant Prairie to learn about two current jobsites Riley is working on – The Village of Pleasant Prairie Police Station and Fire Department. They were given a safety and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) review before heading off to view a live concrete pour at the Police Station jobsite. They were taught about the planning behind the project and were given a chance to interview the jobsite Superintendent. After a long day of hard work, they enjoyed a pizza lunch!
Riley is proud to give back to our community by introducing young people to possible future careers in the construction industry. Special thanks to KUSD, Pieper Electric, Inc. – Kenosha Branch, Martin Petersen Company, Riley Construction employees, and all the amazing volunteers for creating this unique opportunity in our community!
Read more about the KUSD Camp in articles published by The Daily Reporter and Kenosha News.
