SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Organizers say BLDG Trades Day 2025 is set to provide 1,100 area high school students and educators with the opportunity to meet local employers, explore trades education, and career opportunities in the community while also "seeing how their classroom learning today is building a foundation for their future success."

More than 60 contractors and training partners will be on hand March 7 at Notre Dame's Stepan Center and the event will be open to the public, free of charge, from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. 

"[The event provides] an opportunity for additional students of all ages, educators, parents, job seekers and interested community members to learn more about the wide range of construction-related, high-demand careers available in our region," organizers said.

Free parking will be available in White Field on the Notre Dame campus with shuttles running from 2:30 to 6 p.m.

“The goal of Building Trades Day is to elevate the public perception of building trades careers and the valuable role trades people, and the construction industry play in the economic growth of our region, state and country,” says Jeff Rea, president and CEO of the South Bend Regional Chamber.

The event is organized and presented by the University of Notre Dame, the Michiana Area Construction Industry Advancement. Fund and St. Joseph Valley Building Trades, in partnership with the South Bend Regional Chamber.

“Once again, we are thrilled to grow relationships between the construction industry and our schools and appreciate the Chamber’s commitment to creating regional career exploration resources and connection points," said Notre Dame's Senior Director of Construction and Quality Assurance Tony Polotto.

"These experiences help students bridge what they’re learning in the classroom to their next step in education or employment and connect the next generation of talent to a wide array of opportunities for training and employment.”

Polotto is not the only one who sees the benefit of an in-person, hands-on, learning experience.

“We believe there’s a powerful impact on students when they can see firsthand the education and career opportunities available in our region," said Executive Director of MACIAF Shawn O'Brien. 

The following contractors and trades interactive exhibitors will be on hand:

• Ancon Construction AWS (Amazon Web Services)
• Barton Malow Company
• Berglund Construction
• BMWC Constructors
• Brite/Pemberton-Davis Electric
• Build Your Future Indiana
• Built to Succeed/Indiana Careers in Construction Association
• Bulley & Andrews, LLC
• C&S Masonry Restoration, LLC
• Cement Finishers Local 692
• Central Midwest Carpenters Union
• CLAYCO
• Commercial Contracting Corporation
• Core Construction
• Custom Millwork & Display
• D.A. Dodd
• Davey Resource Group
• Dudeck Roofing and Sheet Metal, Inc.
• Emcor Services – Shambaugh
• F.A. Wilhelm Construction
• Gibson-Lewis, LLC
• Habitat for Humanity
• Hagerman Construction
• Havel Brothers
• Home Builders Association of St. Joseph Valley
• HRP Construction, Inc.
• IBEW 153
• Ideal Consolidated, Inc.
• Indiana Construction Roundtable Foundation
• Indiana Economic Development Corporation
• Institute for Workforce Excellence
• International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen Local 45
• Ironworkers 292
• IUPAT DC 91 (International Union of Painters and Allied Trades)
• IUOE Local 150 (Operating Engineers)
• Ivy Tech Community College
• Iwanski Masonry, Inc.
• Koontz-Wagner Electric Company
• Kuert Concrete
• Laborers 645
• Larson-Danielson Construction Co., Inc.
• Legacy Sign Group
• Leidal & Hart Mason Contractors
• Martell Electric, LLC
• Masonry Cosmetics
• Michuda Construction - Cruz Construction
• Midland Engineering
• Morris Sheet Metal
• National Elevator Industry Education Program (NEIEP)
• Navarre Services
• Otis Elevator Company
• Ozinga
• Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 172
• Precision Wall Systems
• Precision Wood Products, Inc.
• Quality Air Service, Inc.
• R & R Excavating
• R. Yoder Construction
• Rieth-Riley
• Roofers Local 23
• Ryan Companies
• Ryan Fire Protection
• Sheet Metal Workers Local 20
• Shiel Sexton
• St. Joseph County Infrastructure, Planning and Growth
• Suffolk Construction
• Teamsters Local 364
• TechPoint
• That 1 Painter
• The Academy by Goodwill Industries
• Tonn & Blank
• Walbridge Construction
• W.E. O'Neil
• Weigand Construction
• Ziolkowski Construction, Inc.

Additional information:

• The number of unfilled jobs in the construction industry totaled between 300,000 and 400,000 in the spring of 2022, according to the Home Builders Institute. *
• The average construction salary is already pacing ahead of the U.S. median wage. The top quartile of construction workers earns 10% more than workers in the overall economy. *
• Plumbers, electricians and HVAC technicians all make above the U.S. median wage. An analysis by Georgetown University reported that electrical and power transmission installers could earn entry-level salaries of more than $80,000. *
• Supply and demand will tell you that wages in skilled trades will only continue to rise. Demand for these jobs is high, and the supply to fill them is low. *
• Only about 10% of the skilled trade workforce are women, but women can excel in this industry. *
• With a two-year head start on earning potential and low-to-no training costs, a young skilled tradesperson could be upwards of $150,000 or more ahead of a college graduate within four years of finishing high school. *

*Forbes Advisor; Avoiding the Next Crisis in America With Skilled Trades Education, Rob Almon