High school students from area schools learned more about technician careers in the construction industry during the first ”Technician for a Day” event held at Mansfield’s Army National Guard facility on Wednesday. The students were able to meet with representatives from industry leaders as well as colleges offering associate degrees in technician programs.
“This is a first-ever event anywhere in the state,” explained Scott Kinnamon of the Ohio Contractors Association and Norwalk Concrete Industries and the program creator, “This is a prototype and the base already told me I can come here as long as I want, so next year we’ll be back. The need for the young kids is almost epidemic. I’ve got guys that came down from Dayton that heard about this event, a big contractor called Great Lakes, they came down. They are begging for young people to be mechanics and technicians.”
Kinnamon explained that career center students are a step ahead of other graduating seniors toward claiming technician careers.
“Career center kids basically have two years already of hands on working in small and large engine repairs,” he said. “This event is about anything to do with technicians. A technician can work on an engine, electrical systems, hydraulic systems. All of the systems in a car are very sophisticated because emissions today, everything in your car, has to be computer-driven. These guys have to understand a lot of electrical; they have to be diagnostic people.”
Kinnamon said that in his opening remarks, he compared technician jobs to being emergency room doctors.
“They come running in with a guy on a gurney and the doctor is asking, ‘What happened? Why is he bleeding?’ A technician gets a phone call saying, ‘Get out here. This machine broke down,’ said Kinnamon, “You’re doing the same thing as a technician: It’s dead. Why? What did it sound like? What did it do before it stopped? Now you’ve got to get it back together. These machines are a hundred thousand dollars. They can’t just have anybody playing around with them. They have to know what they’re doing.”
Sixty-five students from Mansfield Senior High school, the Knox County Career Center, and Ashland West Holmes Career Center participated in the day’s event. Other area students were unable to participate because calamity days accrued over the winter deterred participation but Kinnamon looks forward to their participation next year.
Participating companies brought some of their heavy machinery to Field Maintenance Shop 1 of the Ohio Army National Guard on N. Airport Rd. The Maintenance Shop supports Army units in Cleveland, Mansfield, Marion, Medina, and Wooster explained MSgt. Paul Leluika, an inspector.
His unit showed students the mechanical and electronic system of an M1088 LTAS.
Murphy Tractor representatives explained that they support John Deer Construction dealer for six states with 12 locations in Ohio.
“We’re trying to attract these young people to get into tech fields and enter the construction industry. It’s a very lucrative industry. We just want to open their eyes and educate them to the opportunities. At tech schools, they get so much automotive training but we want them to understand the diesel industry and that opportunities do exist,” said Robert Allee, a major accounts manager.
Scott Martin of Ohio Technical College told students that 77 percent of available industry jobs require technical skills. He explained that the Cleveland college is a private college and maintains a small student body to facilitate individualized training.
Knox County Career Center instructor Don McDaniel teaches Auto Technology, and he took 23 students to the event. “There were a lot of good presenters here today,” he said, “I’m anxious to get the students back to class and talk about today.”
Cameron Bales, a Mount Vernon High School junior at the career center, said he plans to go to the University of Northwestern to study diesel mechanics. He was interested in the Caterpillar and CASE displays he saw on Wednesday.
Austin Palms, a junior from Fredericktown High School, also would like to attend Northwestern and study diesel mechanics and perhaps be a service manager.
Many students agreed lunch was a treat following the morning’s presentations. Lunch was provided by Port-a-Cook and included barbecued ribs and chicken and a number of side dishes. Justin Corby, a junior at Knox County Career Center stated, “Wow. This is the best meal we’ve ever had. It’s like a five-star restaurant.”
Kinnamon delivered some closing remarks and noted the number of related jobs advertised locally. He also introduced a few speakers including Ben Rietschlin, Rietschlin Construction and North Central Ohio OCA chairman. Rietschlin thanked the participating companies and the Army National Guard.
To the students, Rietschlin said, “It can be intimidating when you think about where you want to go what you want to do. Keep us in mind. This industry is very sincere in that it wants young people today to succeed.”
The Ohio Contractors Association (OCA) is a statewide business and trade association dedicated to providing support, unity and leadership to the heavy highway and utility industry for the success of its membership. OCA is committed to continued service to its members and relevance to the industry it promotes. To meet this commitment, OCA maintains a strategic plan, a consensus-based document designed to guide the activities of the Board, committees and staff to achieve maximum effectiveness.
Companies participating in “Technician for a Day” included Columbus Equipment Co., the Ohio National Guard, The Great Lakes Construction Co., Kohosing Construction Co., Murphy Tractor, Ohio CAT, Ohio Technical College, Rudd Equipment, Shelly & Sands, Southeastern Equipment, The Ohio State University/ATI, and University of Northwestern Ohio.
