Students take Construction Week challenge

4 years, 6 months ago

Area High School Students Compete in Third Annual Carl A. Nelson & Company Construction Skills Challenge

Event puts Construction Trades students to the test with real-world construction tasks

BURLINGTON, Iowa – Carl A. Nelson & Company, a 106-year-old design-build, construction management and general contracting firm based in Burlington, Iowa, on Thursday hosted its third annual High School Construction Skills Challenge for area construction trades students. Teams of five students apiece from five area high schools came to test the skills they have learned in school.

Participating in the 2019 Construction Skills Challenge were Burlington High School, West Burlington High School, Mediapolis High School, Fort Madison High School and Keokuk High School. Students progressed through a series of modules, including:

• Hanging a hollow steel door;
• Setting a concrete form;
• Building floor joists, and;
• Installing drywall on metal studs.

The students also were given a knowledge test.

For students who primarily learn skills associated with home construction in their classes at school, the annual event at
Carl A. Nelson & Company, which is timed to coincide with the observation of Master Builders of Iowa’s Construction Week, the tasks laid out for them cause the students to apply what they have learned to new situations.

“Some of it is a challenge. Definitely a lot of them have not done anything like this, but we do it that way on purpose to show them what else is out there, and what they would be doing,” said Mike Harris, general superintendent at Carl A. Nelson & Company. The event also serves as a recruitment tool for Carl A. Nelson & Company, by exposing students to the company and its personnel, and helping the company spot young talent.

Each challenge was worked as a team, as judges looked for degree of completion, build quality, safety and cleanliness.

Taking the prize for first place was the team from Fort Madison High School, made up of Jace Burgher, senior; Owen Kruse, junior; Laton Denning, sophomore; Landes Williams, sophomore, and Chay Smith, junior. Their teacher is Clint Kobelt. It was the second win by FMHS in the three years of the event.

Taking second place was the team from Mediapolis High School. Team members were Carter Hastings, senior; Joseph Lippert, junior; Alex Diewold, senior; Hunter Liles, senior; and Clayton Vorwerk, senior. Their teacher is Nathan Fritz.

The prizes for the Top 2 places were gift cards -- $400 for first place, $200 for second place – to purchase needed equipment or supplies for the Construction Trades programs at the winning schools. Lunch was catered for the students and Carl A. Nelson & Company personnel by Hy-Vee.

Mediapolis Senior Clayton Vorwerk cuts rebar in the concrete forming module Thursday during the Third Annual High School Construction Skills Challenge at Carl A. Nelson & Company in Burlington, Iowa. Five area high schools took part in the event, with Fort Madison coming out the winner. Mediapolis took the second-place prize.

Taking the prize for first place was the team from Fort Madison High School, made up of Jace Burgher, senior; Owen Kruse, junior; Laton Denning, sophomore; Landes Williams, sophomore, and Chay Smith, junior. Their teacher is Clint Kobelt. It was the second win by FMHS in the three years of the event.

Taking second place was the team from Mediapolis High School. Team members were Carter Hastings, senior; Joseph Lippert, junior; Alex Diewold, senior; Hunter Liles, senior; and Clayton Vorwerk, senior. Their teacher is Nathan Fritz.