Students Get Hands-On Experience in Welding, Heavy Equipment and Concrete
Opportunities abound in the construction industry for well-paying careers with benefits –a fact that Alberici Constructors and Hillsdale Fabricators impressed upon more than 100 St. Louis area high school students and educators. On April 7, 2023, they gathered at Hillsdale Fabricators at 2150 Kienlen Ave. in North St. Louis to get hands-on experience in welding, setting concrete forms and operating skid steer loaders and cranes. They also toured Hillsdale Fabricator’s 250,000-square-foot steel fabrication facility, the largest in St. Louis.
“Attracting the next generation of construction and craft workers is a continuous process,” said John Grib, vice president and market leader at Alberici Constructors. “We manage complex projects that demand a highly skilled and safe workforce. It’s truly an impactful career that shapes the future of our nation and offers attractive salaries and benefits.”
Alberici was part of the joint venture that recently completed CITYPARK stadium for St. Louis’ new MLS franchise. Hillsdale Fabricators provided 5,000 tons of steel for the project. Other local projects include the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center and the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park. Nationally, Alberici’s recent work includes the major renovation of a naval submarine base in Kings Bay, Georgia, and the Northwest Water Treatment Facility in Wichita, Kansas.
The Alberici construction career showcase comes at a time when the St. Louis construction
industry is booming but challenged by an ongoing labor shortage. According to the
Associated General Contractors, 45 states, including Missouri, added construction jobs from February 2022 to February 2023, but were still struggling to find enough workers to build projects. Missouri added 700 jobs, ranking 44th in the nation, but needs more skilled construction workers as federal, state and local projects go into high gear.
Alberici and Hillsdale Fabricators partnered with Andy Rice Trade Scholarship and area high schools for the construction career showcase. The students and educators came from the Parkway School District, Maplewood Richmond Heights School District and Sumner High School.
About Alberici
Alberici is a leading North American construction company serving the civil, energy, institutional, commercial, heavy industrial, manufacturing, water/wastewater, and automotive industries. Founded in 1918 in St. Louis, Alberici is a recognized leader in the construction industry focused on providing clients with rock-solid reliability, the highest standards of quality and safety and innovative solutions for the most complex building needs. Alberici is ranked the 35th largest domestic builder (Engineering News-Record, May 2022) with annual revenues of over $2.7 billion. With approximately 3,500 salaried employees and craft professionals, the firm is headquartered in St. Louis with offices throughout North America. More information about the company is available online at www.alberici.com or by following the company on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
About Hillsdale Fabricators
Hillsdale Fabricators provides complex steel fabrication and erection services throughout North America for a diverse range of projects including bridges, sports venues, industrial process and mining facilities, flood control structures, airports, power plants and commercial buildings. Hillsdale Fabricators was founded in 1958, as a division of Alberici Constructors, Inc., one of the largest and most respected construction companies in North America. Hillsdale Fabricators’ St. Louis headquarters includes a 250,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art fabrication shop, 40,000-square-foot environmentally controlled paint space and over 50 acres yard storage. Hillsdale is an American Institute of Steel Construction certified fabricator and erector and is recognized by the Canadian Welding Bureau as Division 1 Certified. Hillsdale has more than 150 salaried employees and craft professionals. More information about the company is available online at www.hillsdalefabricators.com.