WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: During the first week of October, a two-day Western New York Construction Career Days Event will be held at the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 17’s sprawling 400-acre Training Facility in Lake View.  An anticipated 1,200 high school students are expected to attend and be exposed to a possible future career in the Unionized Building Trades through a variety of hands-on offerings.  Construction of the new Buffalo Bills Stadium in nearby Orchard Park is expected to provide a burst of interest in the Construction Trades and the tremendous salary and benefits they offer.  Pictured above, from left to right: Former IUOE Local 17 Training Coordinator and now retired Kelly Roblee; Jim “Smoker” Smolinski, who serves as Local 17’s Administrative Manager at the Union’s Training Facility; and Matt Weldon, who serves on IUOE Local 17’s Bargaining Committee.   (WNYLaborToday.com Photo)

(LAKE VIEW, NEW YORK) – Not too far from International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 17’s sprawling 400-acre Training Facility in Lake View, where the 15th Western New York Construction Career Days Event will take place during the first week in October, a number of Union-represented Construction Workers in Orchard Park are hard at work building the new billion-dollar-plus home of the National Football League’s Buffalo Bills (Photos Below Courtesy Of The Bills Mafia’s Facebook Page).

And while that multi-year project will employ hundreds of Unionized Trades Workers, those associated with Western New York Career Days Event - which is expected to attract 1,200 high school students (about 600 per day over two days) from 100 schools, are also hoping it will also pique their interest in pursuing a career in any one of a variety of Union-represented Trades.

Former IUOE Local 17 Training Coordinator and now retired Kelly Roblee, who posed with two fellow IUOErs holding Bills-colored jerseys with the number 17 and their Union’s logo on them (mimicking starting Buffalo Quarterback John Allen’s number) said: “We are ‘finally seeing what (WNY Construction Career Days) was designed to do’ (when it started so many years ago).”   

Jim “Smoker” Smolinski, who serves as Local 17’s Administrative Manager at the Union’s Training Facility, added: “There’s ‘more interest’ (in working construction) because of the Bills’ Stadium - and we’ve seen during our last four Apprenticeship classes that they’ve come through the Career Days event (in the past).  The event ‘helps keep word on the street that there are opportunities that can make you a lot more money.’”

“I agree with them (100%),” said Joe Benedict, who serves as Executive Director of the Construction Exchange of Buffalo and Western New York.  “And I hope this high-profile project ‘of something that everyone loves here - the Bills, brings more attention to the Trades.’”

“I hope (the stadium project) ‘continues to open more eyes’ (to the wonderful career one can have working in the Trades),” added Jim Logon, who serves as Executive Vice President of Buffalo’s Construction Industry Employers Association. 

“The median age (for a Construction Worker) is mid-forties.  ‘That’s not good.’  ‘We need new blood to survive.’  We’re ‘looking for people - dying for (more) people and this is such a great opportunity.’  I’m ‘hoping (the Career Days Even) opens even more eyes because there is a lot of work going on’ (across Western New York),” Logan said.

The Building Trades’ Unions hope the 15th time that this event has been offered will bring aboard future Workers to replace those who are continuing to retire and replenish a local Workforce that is desperately working hard to educate young people to the many, good-paying job opportunities that exist across the Unionized Trades, especially in light of a number of major projects that are coming in the next couple of years here in Western New York, most notably the much-discussed Bills’ Stadium.

Those Trades on site will offer students a variety of opportunities in order to show off and attract them to their individual crafts, from students operating small excavators under the watchful supervision of Union Representatives to bending pipe or being elevated high above the ground while perched in a scissors-lift to taking turns on virtual painting and welding - as well as running a bulldozer, to name but a few. 

At last year’s event, IUOE Local 17’s Paul Hopkins told students as they waited in line to try their hand at running a backhoe: “‘They can make ($100,000 to $150,000 as a Journeyman) a year.’  ‘A lot of them can’t fathom that.’  They said: ‘Sign me up.’  ‘We’re just letting them know that there are other things than just going to college.’  ‘If they can get through an Apprenticeship, they can earn a great living and work anywhere across the United States.’”

Right now, Local 17’s Roblee says his Union has 40 Apprentices in its Training Program, with the aim of bringing in 10 new Apprentices every year. 

“We took in (18) Apprentices this year and we have more than (50) of our Members currently working out at the stadium,” Smoker added.

By the way, Roblee says, a First-Year Apprentice with the IUOE makes about $60 an hour - $30 in wages and another $30 in benefits.

Construction Exchange of Buffalo and Western New York Executive Director Benedict, meanwhile, tells WNYLaborToday.com that it was his understanding Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 22 has just brought in “it’s biggest class (of Apprentices) ever” and that Erie Community College’s Construction Management courses are “up (40%) this year.”

It’s also notable the Western New York Construction Career Days event has now been offered for 15 years, drawing praise from both the Union and Management side.

“I ‘wouldn’t want to see it anywhere else,’” new IUOE Local 17 Business Manager Bill Fekete told WNYLaborToday.com of his Trades’ Union hosting the event.  “‘I want to do a little bragging about it because Local 17 is proud to help promote this opportunity for the kids to participate.’  ‘It’s all about the exposure.’”

Benedict added: “It’s a ‘good sign it’s been this long because it’s so critical.’  ‘It brings so much attention to the Trades and there’s nothing like it locally with so many hands-on opportunities.’  ‘It’s such a great thing and we’re happy to help fund-raise for it.’  ‘I think it’s the best (Construction Career Days Event) in New York State.’  ‘We just need to keep getting the word out’ (about the many opportunities there are across the Western New York Construction Community).   

For More On The Western New York Construction Career Days Event, Read: “‘This Is Like Walking On Mars - It’s Priceless’” - High School Social Worker ‘Raves About’ WNY Construction Career Days, Says: “‘We Can Talk To Them About It, How Cool A Job These Are, But You Can’t Replicate This’” Hands-On Experience - WNY Labor Today: Your On-Line Labor Newspaper, Bringing You Labor News From Across The Nation, New York State & Western New York

WNYLaborToday.com File Photos.