Allentown Students Explore Careers in Building & Construction Trades at Diggerland USA

Allentown, PA – A group of Allentown students recently spent the day testing their dexterity on a high-ropes course, flying through the sky on a zip line and sitting in the driver’s seats of farm tractors, dumper trucks and other pieces of construction equipment. The students, who participated in Roosevelt Elementary School’s Summer Bear Club, explored careers in Building & Construction Trades during a field trip to Diggerland USA with support provided by Capital BlueCross and United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley TeenWorksTM.
 
“The field trip to Diggerland was an amazing opportunity that allowed for our students to engage in a fun, hands-on learning experience.  I don’t think the students fully realized that they were learning Science, Technology, Engineering and Math as they interacted with the construction machinery. Throughout the trip, it was exciting to see the students take ownership of their own learning experience by exploring, experimenting and challenging themselves,” said Roosevelt’s Community School Coordinator Nashira Williams of Communities In Schools of the Lehigh Valley.
 
The idea started earlier this year when Capital BlueCross Senior Labor Relations Consultant and TeenWorks Board Member Gregg Potter saw a television advertisement for Diggerland USA. Located in New Jersey, this hands-on theme park allows children and adults to safely interact with heavy construction equipment. Knowing that union managers face challenges in staffing their projects, that free apprenticeships offer a path to high-paying jobs and that most of the children at Roosevelt live at or below the federal poverty level, Potter recognized the opportunity.
 
“By providing career opportunities to children at a young age, we will get greater rewards in a short time. We can offer students exposure to well-paying jobs and help to grow the middle class. At the same time, we can assist the building trades as they replenish their aging workforce and add diversity to their ranks,” remarked Potter.
 
The International Union of Operating Engineers Local 542 sponsored the bus ride for this trip, and Healthy You Café at the Capital Blue store supplied food and beverages for the children. TeenWorks provided funding for the admission tickets.

“As a collaboration between Lehigh Valley labor unions and local teens, part of TeenWorks’ mission is to help young people understand the critical role our unions and trades play in our lives every day. This field trip provided a fun and engaging opportunity to make that connection for kids and spark their interest in careers that can pay more than $80,000 per year. We hope to see some of these students on the TeenWorks Board in a few years,” said Daniella De Leon, Director, Labor Relations, United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley.
 
Roosevelt Elementary School is a United Way Community School in partnership with Communities In Schools of the Lehigh Valley. Financial support is provided by Corporate Partner Capital BlueCross and TeenWorks. Capital BlueCross staff, TeenWorks board members and Lehigh Valley organized labor provide hundreds of hours of volunteer service to the school and its students.
 
For more information about TeenWorks, please contact Daniella at 610-807-5709.