LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A group of civil engineering students from Ballard High School got a behind the scene tour of the new Robley Rex VA Medical Center currently under construction in Louisville.
Students donned reflective vests, safety glasses and hard hats, and got the chance to see first-hand how their classroom lessons translate to the real world.
“The building itself is made to expand and contract, so the building will actually move,” Steve Smith, lead quality assurance representative for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, told the group.
The class of high school juniors was led around the hospital construction site by the Corps, which oversees the project, and took them from the basement to the roof of the nearly $1 billion facility.
Devan Mott came out of the field trip with a better idea of what he’d like to pursue in college.
“A lot of the workers told us, you know, their personal experiences, and it kind of. It inspired me. You know, at the end, they told us that we need to pursue pathways that we will enjoy in our futures,” Mott said. “And, you know, this looks like a really good pathway, helping people.”
Dariana Rubio’s mom is an industrial engineer. She told Spectrum News this trip helped confirm what field she’d like to work in herself. Something she encourages other young girls to pursue, too.
“I would love to see more women in this field. Walking around, seeing a couple really helped me feel more included, especially with the girls in my class is only three of us, so it helps to see more women in this field,” Rubio said.
Both Rubio and Mott both said they were surprised with how much a project like this cost to build.
Breaking ground in Nov. 2021, the medical center will offer the area’s veteran population once complete. It will replace the current Robley Rex Medical Center, that was built in the early 50s.
The new building is roughly 60-65% complete according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Construction will be completed in spring 2026.