AGC Georgia host 10th annual skills challenge for the first time in Perry 

PERRY — The Associated General Contractors of Georgia (AGC) partnered with Parrish Construction to host a skills challenge for high school students seeking careers in construction and other related fields. The challenge was held in Perry for the first time at Sutherland Arena in the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter on Thursday, Oct. 30. 

The 10th annual skills challenge had approximately 150 students compete, representing more than 20 schools across 26 different counties.

Houston County High School Senior Kaden O’Neal participated in the challenge, focusing on cabinetry. He said he liked the competition, but described it more as practice. 

“I’ve gained knowledge, and I have learned a lot more than I thought,” he said. “You also get to see what other people do and look at their work and say ‘That’s cool; I might want to do that or I want to try that’.” 

AGC Georgia Executive Vice President, Zach Fields, said the AGC leads eight different competitions from the state level. 

“In addition to the competitions, we are really trying to provide a rally point and a space for industry to interact with young people and young people to interact with the industry to see what their career options are and build a network with these companies so they will have contacts,” Fields said. “[AGC] exists to make the industry a better place.” 

According to the AGC, the skills challenge is held throughout the state and hosts over 2,000 students from over 100 different schools. Competitions at the Central Georgia Skills Challenge include: blueprint reading, cabinetmaking, carpentry, electrical, heavy equipment operations, masonry, plumbing, roofing, team-works, welding and welding fabrication.

“With these competitions, students are learning foundational skills or demonstrating foundational skills that would help them in residential or commercial construction as they’re using industry relevant materials industry plans,” he said. “They’re reading a blueprint or schematic drawing of what they would see at a job site, and each station and competition has judges and support staff that are all industry-based.” 

Fields said it is very important to reach students by getting where the labor pool needs to be. 

“We’re short 160,000 construction workers in Georgia based on the demand that we currently have,” he said.

It is even more important that young people have clear career pathways, according to Fields, who said the construction field is fortunate enough to have many.

“You can directly work with a contractor, go to an apprenticeship program, a trade school or a technical college and honestly train at no cost. The state has prioritized high-demand career areas and construction is one of them,” he said. “I think it’s important that students understand what those options really are.” 

Fields felt rewarded and refreshed seeing students compete in the skills challenge. He said people who are not close to the construction may space seem to write off the next generation, but that thinking might change once they see the students who have competed. 

“It’s refreshing that you do have a generation of young people that like to do this, want to do it and have enough courage to come out and put their skills on display,” he said.