Bridge authority Co-Chair Grant Polson, Commissioner Jacob Edwards, and Commissioner Keith Hirschman speak with students at Thursday’s career day. Dan Spatz photo
Bridge authority Co-Chair Grant Polson, Commissioner Jacob Edwards, and Commissioner Keith Hirschman speak with students at Thursday’s career day. Dan Spatz photo
HOOD RIVER — Hundreds of students from throughout the Columbia Gorge converged on the Port of Hood River May 21 to explore family-wage construction jobs in a “Career and Industry Day” organized by the Hood River–White Salmon Bridge Authority.
“You could really feel the energy as students explored equipment, asked questions, and connected with the people working in these industries every day,” said Mike Shannon, project director for the bridge authority. “We saw today how many young people are interested in careers in the trades and want to work in their own communities.”
Months of advance planning by the bridge authority, in cooperation with regional school districts, brought an estimated 250 students from high schools in White Salmon, Hood River, The Dalles, Trout Lake, Stevenson and Glenwood to speak with representatives from fields as diverse as heavy equipment operation, building construction, electrical, plumbing, heating and air conditioning, all arrayed in booths at the port’s Lot 1 property near the waterfront.
While not all those trades will have a role in bridge construction, the idea behind the career trades day was to call attention to the urgent need for a multi-skilled construction workforce. While that’s a concern nationwide, there’s significant, unmet local need.
“One exciting aspect of this project is the opportunity to build careers right here in the Gorge,” Shannon noted.
Oregon Employment Department projects construction jobs will grow at the second-fastest rate (after healthcare and social assistance) gaining 10% overall by 2034. “Growth in construction can be attributed to construction of buildings (+11%) and specialty trade contractors (+11%), which includes establishments that perform specific construction-related activities such as site preparation, plumbing, painting, and electrical work,” according to information cited by East Cascades Works, the region’s workforce investment board. The workforce board, based in Bend, is responsible for allocating federal workforce funding in the region to such training providers as Columbia Gorge Community College.
According to Oregon Employment Department, there are about 35 occupations paying more than $50,000 annually. Annual wages are about $69,000 for carpenters, $87,600 for electricians, $87,900 for plumbers, $72,300 for sheet metal workers and $70,000 for equipment operators.
In addition to commercial firms, both the Oregon and Washington state transportation agencies participated last week, allowing students an up-close look at snowplows, backhoes and other heavy equipment. Federal and state lawmakers were also on hand, including presentations from Rep. Jeff Helfrich (Oregon District 52) and Sen. Christine Drazen (District 56). Katey Linkous, field representative for U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, also attended.
“We’re incredibly grateful to all the unions, businesses, agencies, tribes, educators, and community partners who showed up and invested in these students,” Shannon added.
While this was the bridge authority’s first career day, it probably won’t be the last. Parkdale resident Mike Fox, a bridge commissioner, said the authority hopes to organize these events annually. Bridge replacement is anticipated to start in October 2027, with completion in 2032 contingent upon federal funding.
Commented