Missouri High School Students Build Their Future

More than 1,800 high school students in Missouri attended the "Build My Future, a Construction Career Day & Industry Showcase" event organized by The Associated General Contractors of Missouri (AGCMO) on Sept. 20.

The full-day expo, held at the Macon County Fairgrounds, provided students with hands-on experiences in the construction industry, including safety talks and demonstrations. Representatives from 43 construction industry exhibitors and 33 sponsor organizations offered interactive experiences for students, the Kirksville Daily Express reports.

The construction industry serves as an important engine to Missouri’s overall economy. At the same time, there is a critical workforce shortage in the industry. There are exceptional workforce development and training programs in existence along with good-paying career opportunities immediately available.

Construction (residential and nonresidential) employed 7.9 million workers in February 2023, an increase of 249,000 (3.2 percent) from February 2022 and an increase of 4.1 percent from February 2020, the peak pre-pandemic month. Construction employment in Missouri in February 2023 totaled 138,600, an increase of 700 (0.5 percent) from February 2022 and an increase of 10,000 or 8 percent from February 2020.*

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