WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- High school students worked with heavy machinery Thursday in Lycoming County. About 800 teenagers from across the state attended a job fair at Penn College to learn about trades in high demand.
This event has received a huge outpouring of support from large businesses across the country.
Right now, there is a shortage of laborers. This event is a way to show off these sustainable job opportunities to the next generation.
A junior at the Career Technology Center of Lackawanna County, Noah Lahey, 17, isn't a professional bricklayer, but he's open to the possibility that one day this could be part of his job description.
"I picked a trade because it's just, I find that I'm pretty good at it and you get messy and it's more hands-on," Lahey said.
Lahey and about 800 other high school students from across the state made their way to Penn College of Technology in Williamsport for PA Build My Future.
The event is an opportunity for students to find out what jobs are available in the construction and design industry from skilled trades to management.
With over 50 exhibitors, students are getting hands-on experience with jobs they may never have considered before the event.
"There's actually a lot of opportunities here. I wasn't expecting this much stuff to be here. It's like a little overwhelming. There's a lot here and not a lot of time to really stop to see every station," said Lahey.
A junior at Millville High School, Sabrina McElwee is still unsure what career path she'll take.
"That was really hard but amazing. It was ridiculously awesome," McElwee said.
"Honestly, you would be surprised on how quick they pick up on things. They are very interested because they don't do this stuff every day," said Keith Long, a student in the masonry program at Penn College.
With a shortage of labor workers today, Long is helping instruct the next generation.
"There are over 44,000 jobs in the concrete industry that need to get filled tomorrow but it's not going to happen, so we need to get the youth in there," said Long.
Because this event did so well, Penn College hopes to hold it again next year.