Thirty local high school students got a chance to operate some of the biggest machines in the construction industry this week.
The Heavy Metal Rocks program, which is now in its seventh year, provides students with four days of hands-on experience with cranes, graders, excavators, bulldozers, rollers, dump trucks and other heavy equipment. In addition, this year students had a chance to train with an build metal scaffolding and learn about underground service lines.
"It's a great eye-opener," participate Kaya Langill said. "It's taught me a lot about my future career. This is what I want to do."
Langill said she plans on becoming a grader or excavator operator. She learned there is a lot more to being an equipment operator than just digging holes.
"You never stop learning," she said. "Safety is the number one thing they teach you here."
The program is a partnership between the Prince George Construction Association, Prince George School District and WorkSafe B.C. Local companies donate the use of their equipment - some worth up to $1.5 million - fuel and experienced operators to give the students a taste of what life in the construction industry is all about.
Student Steven Poitras called the experience, "great," and said he is looking at a career as a grader operator or backhoe operator.
"It's just great," he said.
The experienced operators were helpful and taught him about some of the day-to-day tasks heavy equipment is used for, he said.
"They'll teach you how to properly load a dump truck," he said. "They'll help you so you're not so nervous, then let you do it."
Student Judah Paulson is looking at a career as a heavy-duty mechanic. Heavy Metal Rocks was an opportunity to operate some of the machines he may one day be fixing.
"It was a lot of fun. [And] I think it was a really good learning opportunity," he said.
Paulson's mother, Carla Paulson, said she was really impressed by what the program offered.
"What a wonderful opportunity," she said. "I like that they're teaching safety."
Harriet Watson said her stepdaughter took the program and it was a transformative experience for her.
"She was eager to get up at five in the morning, put on her face, do her hair, put on her steel-toe boots and jump on the bus," Watson said. "It's a major confidence builder. It brings tears to my eyes... it lets me know there is nothing she can't do."
Students were given a number of unique experiences, including a demonstration by Fortis B.C. of what a natural gas line blowout looks like.
"They got to see what 900 pounds [of pressure] coming out of a half-inch hole looks like," Fortis B.C. spokesman Doug Harfman said.
WorkSafe B.C. local manager Bruce Clarke said the goal of the program is to instill a culture of safety as young as possible.
"My officers are seeing some of the young people who took part in the program in the field working," Clarke said. "It's about creating a culture of safety. Here in the Prince George area it's been almost 31 months without a traumatic fatality. We've never done that before in the North."
Prince George Construction Association education coordinator Michelle Marrelli said the companies donate their equipment and time as an investment in the future generation of workers.
"We want to promote to young people that there are many employment opportunity in the trades," Marrelli said. "We know that every year three to 11[[participants] have been hired. It is really an amazing opportunity."
Students can apply to take part in the program through their high school. Students must go through an interview and selection process to be selected to participate.
