SALT LAKE CITY, UT — Members of Utah's largest construction firms, including Mortenson, Big-D Companies, Layton Construction, Hensel Phelps, Destination Homes, Okland Construction, and Henry Walker Homes, recently partnered to host the inaugural Builders' Day event, which took place at Salt Lake Community College's Taylorsville Redwood campus. The new interactive career fair brought together more than 600 Utah high school students and more than 45 of Utah's top construction and design companies, with the goal of inspiring younger generations to explore careers in construction and related industries.

"With Builder's Day, we aim to give students hands-on opportunities to explore some of the hundreds of important, fulfilling, and well-paying opportunities in our industry," said Sarah Narjes, General Manager of Mortenson - Salt Lake City. "A strong construction workforce is vital to the future of our economy, our infrastructure, and our communities. We are so grateful to our sponsors and industry partners for their support."

Companies representing every trade in the industry, including architecture and design firms, engineers, consultants, and general contractors, came together to support Builders' Day.

"We all suffer from a staggering shortage of skilled, qualified, and trained talent," said Cory Moore, CEO of Big-D Companies. "The building industry provides high school and college graduates some of the highest paying jobs available. Not only that, but there is also a pronounced comradery in our industry — one that distinctly grows only through building something as a team; a sort of loyalty and honor for each other and the proud tradition of building."

"Construction is one of the largest industries in the world and yet it is often forgotten as a viable career," said Russ Mumford, Project Director at Okland Construction. "The reality is, it's a field in which jobs are plentiful, well-paying, and open to both those with and without a college degree. The sky really is the limit when it comes to opportunities in construction."

Throughout the morning of the event, partners curated hands-on demonstrations, activities, and lessons with technology on various paths to success for the students.

"Our industry is evolving rapidly, and there are more ways than ever for students of all backgrounds to apply their diverse skills," said Jordon Gillman, Business Development Manager at Layton Construction. "We're proud to see so many different areas of our industry coming together to celebrate our craft and recruit the next generation who will help shape the future here in Utah."