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FDOT to connect 1,300 Northwest Florida high school students with construction career opportunities

More than 1,300 high school students will get hands-on experience in the transportation industry at the 5th Annual Northwest Florida Construction Career Days on April 22-23 at the Santa Rosa County Fairgrounds in Milton.

More than 1,300 high school students will get hands-on experience in the transportation industry at the 5th Annual Northwest Florida Construction Career Days on April 22-23 at the Santa Rosa County Fairgrounds in Milton.

  • The event will allow students to operate heavy equipment and learn about various aspects of the construction industry, including bridge inspections, paving, concrete work, traffic control and engineering.

Students will interact with representatives from the Florida Department of Transportation, engineering firms and contractors looking to hire in Northwest Florida. The experience aims to introduce them to the numerous career paths available in transportation, structural, engineering and building industries.

High school seniors attending either in-person or virtually can qualify for a portion of up to $50,000 in monetary awards being distributed this year. The scholarship fund was established to help graduates enrolling in college, trade or vocational programs, or those entering directly into the workforce.

  • Local junior and senior students from Santa Rosa, Escambia, Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, Washington and Jackson counties are expected to participate.

The initiative comes as FDOT District Three works to build a pipeline of workforce and economic opportunities amid billions of dollars of planned construction activity over the next decade. Entry-level workers are in high demand, giving students a unique opportunity to explore careers that benefit both themselves and their communities.

Students over 18 will have the chance to fill out applications for hiring companies during the event. The Construction Career Days event is limited to participating schools and is not open to the public.

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