Illinois Tollway Showcases Trade and Engineering Careers to Area High School Students
One of the priorities for the Illinois Tollway is building the pipeline of a qualified and talented workforce, encouraging students to consider future options in the trades and engineering.
The Illinois Tollway hosted about 120 students from area high schools September 26 for a boots-on-the-ground experience at some of our major construction work at the I-490 Tollway Project, and, for the first time, at our roadway maintenance sites in Alsip and Bensenville.
“Giving students access to real-world engineering and construction work right in their own backyards is the best way to inspire their ambitions and see opportunities available for potential careers,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse. “It’s essential to have our talented staff engage with the next generation and introduce them to not only employment opportunities in the transportation industry, but also career opportunities at the Illinois Tollway.”
Career options at the Illinois Tollway include a variety of trades -- carpenters who build roadway signs, electricians who install lights, mechanics who tune up fleet vehicles and roadway maintenance workers who keep the roads clean and assist emergency responders whenever there’s an incident – as well engineers who design roads and bridges.
Students currently enrolled trades-related coursework and engineering from Foreman College and Career Academy, Ombudsman Chicago South High School, Chicago Vocational Career Academy, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. College Preparatory High School, Simeon Career Academy and Elk Grove High School met with Tollway engineering and industry professionals who gave students an overview of our project and work sites and discussed the various roles people play in building or maintaining roads and bridges.
And, of course, safety – on the job and as drivers – was highlighted at all locations.
Hands-on activities made the visits more fun and engaging for all participants. Students visiting the I-490 Tollway Project tested their skills at estimating the time and resources necessary to complete a project. At the maintenance sites, students had the chance to try their hand at creating messages for portable changeable message signs, which inform motorists of construction activity, driving conditions and special events that can impact traffic.
These on-site experiences at the Illinois Tollway give students food for thought as they chart their career paths, knowing there are great jobs in the transportation industry available for them right at home.