Central Florida Construction Career Days (CCD) welcomed thousands of students last week, giving them a firsthand look at careers in Florida’s rapidly growing transportation and construction industry. With demand for skilled workers rising across the state, the two-day event introduced young people to the tools, technology, and opportunities shaping the future of infrastructure.
Students from 57 high schools and technical schools across Brevard, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia counties gathered at the Volusia County Fairgrounds on January 29–30. Many arrived curious about whether a career in the nation’s multi-billion-dollar transportation sector might be the right path for them.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) partnered with contractors, engineering firms, and equipment providers to stage the event, demonstrating how public agencies and private industry can work together to address workforce shortages.
More than 40 learning labs were set up across the fairgrounds, each designed to mirror real job-site experiences. Industry professionals guided students through interactive demonstrations covering everything from roadway design and materials testing to equipment maintenance and safety procedures.
One of the most popular attractions was a 53-foot semi-truck simulator that allowed participants to experience the perspective of a commercial driver. Outside, students climbed into excavators and skid steer loaders, practiced maneuvering machinery, and even rose high above the grounds in the platform of a bucket truck.
Educators who attended said the event provided exposure that classrooms alone cannot deliver. Many students had never seen heavy equipment up close, let alone operated it under professional supervision.
CCD was first launched in 1999 when transportation officials recognized a looming shortage of qualified construction workers. Florida’s population growth and booming tourism industry have since intensified the need for improved roadways, bridges, and transit systems—and for the people who build them.
Organizers say the mission remains the same: inspire high school students to consider the wide variety of skilled trades and technical professions that keep the state moving.
Originally reported by Susan Wenner in My Sanford Herald.
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