Event Welcomes High School Students, Recent Graduates, and Young Adults to Explore Careers in the Trades
VALPARAISO, IN — The Center of Workforce Innovations (CWI) and the Construction Advancement Foundation (CAF) are making final preparations for the 3rd Annual Porter County Construction & Skilled Trades Day on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at the Porter County Expo Center in Valparaiso, Indiana.
Started by CWI and CAF in 2017, Construction & Skilled Trades Day connects Northwest Indiana youth with hands-on experiences in the building trades. Hosted in partnership with Indiana Plan, Northwest Indiana Workforce Board, READY NWI, NextGen NWI, and We Build Northwest Indiana, and endorsed by the Northwest Indiana Building & Construction Trades Council, the event introduces students to apprenticeship pathways and careers in up to 19 skilled trades through live demonstrations and expert guidance—all in support of building a stronger future workforce.
Kevin Comerford, Director of Professional Development at CAF, organizes volunteers from local skilled trade unions to create mock worksites and make positive impressions on the next generation of skilled workers. Each year, apprentices, trainers, coordinators, and retired tradespeople from up to 19 different construction and trade organizations provide students with hands-on demonstrations in their fields.
The event attracts students from Northwest Indiana high schools and career and technical programs. It is open to high school students, recent graduates, and young adults ages 16–24. Students spend 2½ hours at the event, rotating through booths for 15–20 minutes each, with the final half hour reserved for revisiting high-interest booths, asking additional questions and exploring apprenticeship options.
The Porter County event follows the successful Lake County Construction & Skilled Trades Day, held on October 28, 2025, at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point. In 2023, organizers added a second date and location in Porter County to make the event more accessible to schools across Northwest Indiana—a change that proved highly successful.
“These events give young people a chance to experience what it’s really like to work in the trades and help our high schoolers fulfill graduation requirements,” said Nicky Rodriquez, Director of READY NWI. “With Northwest Indiana’s strong demand for skilled workers, this is an incredible opportunity to connect with industry professionals and learn about apprenticeships that lead to rewarding careers.”
Educators agree on the value of these events. Amy Gibson, a teacher at Illiana Christian High School, shared:
“Just wanted to say thank you for organizing such a wonderful event for our students! They all wrote in their visit summaries that it was such a beneficial, educational and informative experience for them. They really appreciated being able to visit multiple booths in the various trades, and they especially loved all the hands-on skills they got to try. So, thanks again for planning the day for all these students. We really appreciate it!”
Event Details:
Porter County Expo Center, Valparaiso, IN
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
RSVP: https://bit.ly/2025CSTDS
For More Information:
Ami Reese – (219) 981-4126 | areese@cwicorp.com
For information about entering the skilled trades in Northwest Indiana, visit webuildnwi.com.
To learn more about Career Champions for Schools: Bridging the Gap for Student Success, contact Nicky Rodriquez at nrodriquez@cwicorp.com or (219) 274-2040.