More than 3,000 students, instructors, parents and industry volunteers representing 92 different schools across the state of Georgia attended the Third Annual Construction CareerExpo April 26 and 27, sponsored by the Construction Education Foundation of Georgia and GUCA.

The statewide event, designed to promote careers in construction and give students the opportunity to meet employers, was held at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds.

Members of the GUCA participated in the event, which had a whole area designated just for utility construction. This year the utility construction area featured the JCB Dancing Diggers performing three acrobatic shows each day.

A student favorite (and probably the biggest draw of the event this year) also was in the utility construction area. Sponsored by GUCA member companies Robert M. Anderson Inc., METRAC and C.A. Murren & Sons Company Inc., students were allowed to operate and perform certain tasks on heavy equipment. The students could try their skills in picking up basketballs and placing them in containers with the mini-excavators, moving large piles of gravel with the large excavator or attempt an obstacle course with the motorgrader.

GUCA members also had booths set up so students could find out about potential job opportunities for careers in utility construction.

Western Summit Constructors provided a crane simulator trailer for the students to try out. Robert M. Anderson Inc. provided a mock job site along with a cotton candy machine, which was a big draw for the students.

In conjunction with the CareerExpo, CEFGA and its partners sponsored the SkillsUSA state construction contests. The competitions featured more than 180 of the state’s top students competing in carpentry, electrical, masonry, plumbing, diesel equipment technician skills, sheet metal and TeamWorks.