Oldcastle Architectural supported industry education for current and future attendees at this year’s show. Along with providing product demonstrations on some of the industry-changing masonry technologies, Oldcastle donated $10,000 to Skills USA’s Masonry Committee, providing the non-profit training organization’s national masonry program with critical funding for its education efforts and competitions that help students hone their masonry techniques.
“Oldcastle issued a challenge to attendees to help Skills USA, and they came through for the students,” says Ken O’Neill, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Oldcastle Architectural. “We pledged to donate money for each brick that show attendees installed onto a panel of EnduraMax High Performance Wall System. With the overwhelming response, we were able to meet our $10,000 goal before the show’s end.”
The Masonry Committee is one of Skills USA’s technical programs that is a partnership of students, teachers, and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce.
“Formal training for masons is critical,” says Bryan Light, chair of Skills USA’s national masonry technical committee. “Skills USA is committed to providing students with the education and training they need to hone their skills so they can build the hospitals, homes, and army barracks we’ll need in the future. For Oldcastle to support us this way, as we equip young men and women to enter the masonry workforce, is really wonderful.”
Skills USA masonry students were at Oldcastle’s booth for hands-on learning about today’s masonry solutions and to share experiences with professional masons attending the trade show. Students also helped the product experts in the booth by preparing the materials and assisting during some of the product demonstrations.
“It’s always exciting to meet with the masons who use our products each day on the job, and those conversations reinforce our commitment to provide them with masonry solutions that ensure they can take pride in their work and create structures that will stand the test of time in durability and beauty,” O’Neill says.
Watch O’Neill discuss the event.
