WORK ZONE: Local high schoolers compete in construction challenge

COLUMBUS, Ga. ( WRBL ) — The Columbus Georgia Convention and Trade Center wasn't under construction but it sure sounded like it on Tuesday morning.

The cause of the commotion? Nearly 100 students from construction programs from 15 local counties were competing at the annual West Georgia Skills Challenge.

"We went for a long time thinking everyone had to go to college, which is just not true. Our industry is in a very high demand right now," Associate General Contractors of Georgia (AGC) CEO Mike Dunham said.

AGC partnered with Baston-Cook Company, Freeman & Associates and MetroPower to host the Skills Challenge. It is one of eight regional events held across Georgia in which roughly 2,300 students from 100 different skills compete for a shot to get to the state level.

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Students at the West Georgia competition were from schools in Chattahoochee, Coweta, Harris, Heard, Marion, Meriwether, Muscogee, Pike, Schley, Stewart, Talbot, Taylor, Troup, Upson and Webster counties.

For some, the competition has been life-changing.

"I had ended up coming to this construction competition about a year ago and ... I got hired on part-time [with Brasfield & Gorrie] while I was still in high school," Zach Cofield, who graduated from Harris County High School in May, said.

Cofield now works full-time for Brasfield & Gorrie, working on construction for Synovus Park, which will house the all-new Columbus Clingstones baseball team.

Students at the Skills Challenge only had a few hours to take blueprints and get to work. They competed in trades like masonry, carpentry, electrical and more.

According to members of the Callaway High School skills club, the competition is a great opportunity to get a taste of what it's like working in the trades. They also said it is great for making connections to pursue a career in construction.

"You can get nice job opportunities here, like with plumbing and welding," Jamie Whatley, vice president of Callaway High Skills said. "It's a very nice thing to do, if anybody's ever thinking about doing something like that."

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AGC's CEO said these types of competitions are important, as construction workers are growing in demand in the state of Georgia. Dunham said the industry is currently losing four workers due to aging out to every one worker added.

"Georgia is one of the best states to do business and with that, we're growing plants of all types and expanding our ports, expanding our airports and our infrastructure is coming of age," Dunham said. "Georgia, to be competitive in the future, is going to have to have a strong construction industry."

Some students left the Skills Challenge with awards, others with new connections with companies they may work for in the coming years. Competition winners will go on to compete at the state level.

TeamWorks SkillsUSA Qualifying Team AND Skills Challenge Winners

Harris County High School: Colby Morneault, Coleton Lehman, Hayden Lovett, Benjamin Hydrick

Plumbing SkillsUSA Qualifiers

Harris County High School: Joey Gibbs

Harris County High School: Mason Mudd

Plumbing Skills Challenge Winners

Harris County High School: Joey Gibbs

Chattooga High School: Riley Willis

Lee County High School: Hagan Rudolf

Carpentry SkillsUSA Qualifiers

Harris County High School: Lindsay Hare

Jordan Vocational High School – College & Career Academy: Carson Lemelin

Harris County High School: Cuyler Morneault

Carpentry Skills Challenge Winners

Harris County High School: Lindsay Hare

Chattooga High School: Kasen Elsberry

Carrolton High School: Jackson Crews

Cabinetmaking SkillsUSA Qualifiers AND Skills Challenge Winners

Harris County High School: Anderson Beal

Harris County High School: Easton Mobley

Jordan Vocational High School – College & Career Academy: John Lopez

Masonry SkillsUSA Qualifiers

Harris County High School: Kortney Brown

Jordan Vocational High School – College & Career Academy: Zoey Barrett

Callaway High School: Randi Hodge

Masonry Skills Challenge Winners

Harris County High School: Kortney Brown

Carrolton High School: Darwin Arias

Chattooga High School: Ely Childers

Welding Fabrication Skills Challenge

(see below)

Harris County High School: Garrett Meeler, Mary Rehrauer, Ayden Garcia

Welding Fabrication SkillsUSA Qualifying Team AND Skills Challenge Winners

Jordan Vocational High School – College & Career Academy: Johnathan Collins, Dereck Troche, Lewis Wagner

Welding SkillsUSA Qualifiers

Harris County High School: Jackson Phillips

Jordan Vocational High School – College & Career Academy: Pedro Santiago

Harris County High School: Calym Gray

Welding Skills Challenge Winners

Chattooga High School: Evan Stephens

Lee County High School: Coleman Williams

Chattooga High School: Parker Powell

Electrical SkillsUSA Qualifiers

Harris County High School: Trey Wyche

Harris County High School: Anderson Vargas Colon

Carver High School: TraNiya Worthey

Electrical Skills Challenge Winners

Harris County High School: Trey Wyche

Chattooga High School: Lane Bridges

Chattooga High School: Pedro Lopez

Blueprint Reading Skills Challenge Winners

Chattooga High School: Carolann Cash

Carrolton High School: Cole Honea

Harris County High School: Kassidy Lisle