CINCINNATI — The U.S. Department of Labor's latest report shows construction hires went down by over 100,000 while job openings have increased by 23,000 during the pandemic.

What You Need To Know

  • Data from the US Department of Labor indicate there's a construction labor shortage during the pandemic

  • To end the shortage Baker Construction Enterprises created a construction bootcamp

  • The 8-week paid program is for high school students interested in construction
  • By the end of the 8 weeks, students will know how to read and create blueprints, use equipment and much more

That is why one Cincinnati-area construction business is providing high school students with hands-on experience in hopes of recruiting them into the field.

Rylee Taylor Schuh, 16, is one of close to a dozen high school students in the 8-week paid Baker Construction Enterprise's Bootcamp.

Their days start at 7 a.m. and just recently they finished up a project paving concrete. 

“I was over there cleaning up the edges, making sure it looks all nice and pretty, cleaning any of the concrete that’s on the pavement over here,” she said. 

Schuh has been passionate about construction since an early age. It was her uncle she said that showed her the ropes. 

“I really love hands-on. I’ve always learned best that way. I’ve always loved working like that,” she said.

Over the next couple of weeks, she’ll learn how to use tools, read blueprints, go through training and much more.

Schuh said so far she’s enjoying it, but there have been some challenges.

“It’s probably like lifting stuff and moving stuff. It’s a little challenging but I got the hang of it,” she said. 

Schuh is one of only a couple of girls in the bootcamp.

Women only make up a little over 10% of those in the construction field, according to Bigrentz.com.

But that doesn’t intimidate Schuh.

“It feels really good because it shows that we can do this and we’re not weak or anything,” she said. “We got this.”

In the fall, Schuh will be attending Butler Tech’s construction program.

Although she’ll be just a junior in high school, she said the camp has inspired her to pursue a career in construction after graduation.

“My plan was to do welding,” she said. “That was more experience and this was all new to me. But I’m actually really liking it so hopefully, I can maybe find a job and continue doing this.”