(April 9, 2013) – Approximately 500 Anne Arundel County high school students will get a behind the- scenes look at what it’s like to work in highway engineering and construction this Thursday, April 11, when the Maryland Quality Initiative (MdQI) holds its 8th Highway Construction and Engineering Career Day at the Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds in Crownsville.

At the event, students from nine county high schools will meet highway industry professionals such as roadway designers, bridge engineers, surveyors and construction equipment operators and participate in hands-on activities such as pouring and finishing concrete and asphalt.

More than 50 industry professionals from SHA and other MdQI partners will be available to answer questions about their jobs and give advice for students interested in pursuing careers in engineering or construction.

“The decisions that students make at this point in their educational careers in regard to course selection and activity involvement can make a real difference in their opportunities for internships, scholarships and workplace readiness,” said SHA engineer Mark Crampton, who serves as co-chair of the MdQI Industry Training and Recruitment Subcommittee. “We want them to know that the engineering and construction fields offer a strong job market in a wide variety of careers, and opportunities are available to allow them to begin exploring those careers now.”

 

MdQI is a cooperative effort by Maryland’s transportation industry dedicated to the continuous quality improvement in the planning, design, construction and maintenance of Maryland’s transportaiton system.

 

The Career Day event runs from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and includes an orientation, time for students to cycle through activity stations for various engineering and construction careers, lunch, a college recruitment fair and a bus tour of a nearby project where Reliable Contracting Company Inc. and Chaney Enterprises have converted former sand and gravel mining space to commercial development.

 

Reliable Contracting Company Inc. and Chaney Enterprises are sponoring hosts of the career day event. Other Sponsors include: RK&K; Whitman, Requardt & Associates, LLP; Indam Engineers, Inc.; and Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson (JMT) (gold sponsors); P. Flanigan & Sons Inc.; Whitney, Bailey, Cox &Magnani; Sabra, Wang & Associates Inc.; and Maryland Transportation Builders & Materials Association (silver sponsors); EBA Engineering, Inc.; Gannett Fleming, Inc.; Gray & Son, Inc.; Maryland Paving, Inc.; and Maryland Ready Mix Concrete Association (bronze sponsors);
Wallace Montgomery; and Development Facilitators, Inc. (donations).

 

Schools scheduled to participate in the career day include Annapolis, Arundel, Broadneck, Chesapeake, Glen Burnie, Meade, North County, South River and Southern high schools.

 

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Editor’s Note: Members of the media are invited to attend the event. Please RSVP by calling 410-545-0303.​