HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – Hundreds of Bay Area high school students took a field trip to Hillsborough County Fair Grounds to learn skills that will help them work in the construction industry and some of the students could have a job lined up once they graduate high school.

“The construction industry is booming right now. We need workers. We need good workers in our industry. We have a big group retiring soon and we need skilled workers to take their place and move up in the industry,” said Penny Danielecki, the co-chairman of Tampa Bay Construction Career Day.

“We start at $14 an hour if you know nothing we are happy to bring you in all you need is the right attitude with the right energy and we will train you. That’s not a problem,” said Scott Pittman, the Vice President of Ajax Paving Industries.

Shakira Moncada doesn’t even have a driver’s license but that’s not stopping her from learning how to drive the heavy equipment at Tampa Bay Construction Career Day.

“I just wanted to just check it out because I know that usually guys do this and I was like oh women can do this too so I wanted to see for the future if it could help me with college,” said the 17-year-old Chamberlain High School senior.

Once these students graduate high school in a couple of weeks there will be plenty of jobs waiting for them in the construction industry.

“A lot of these kids are seniors in high school and will be entering into the workforce. We are letting them know we are here and we are hiring and you can have a great career with benefits and vacation and you can move up the ladder,” said Danielecki.

“Right now there is a ton of construction work. So right now we need people. We are looking for employees. We are hiring every day,” added Pittman.

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