Whittier Tech Students Tour Active Construction Site

A total of 25 Whittier Tech students from Haverhill, Amesbury, Georgetown, Groveland, and West Newbury attended the field trip. (Photo Courtesy Whittier Tech)

Superintendent Maureen Lynch is pleased to share that Whittier Tech students toured a biology lab construction site following an invitation from Associated General Contractors of Massachusetts (AGC MA).

On Thursday, Dec. 1, a total of 25 Whittier Tech students from the Engineering, Carpentry and Computer-Aided Design (CAD) pathways visited the active construction site in Ipswich. The tour was led by team members from Columbia, a North Reading-based construction management firm overseeing the project.

“It was cool to see that designers from various fields, such as Electrical, Plumbing, Masonry and more, all needed to work together on one set of design drawings to accommodate all needs of the building for the client," said CAD junior Nathan Woitkowski of Haverhill.

Whittier Tech students learned about the project's challenges and solutions, the process of procuring materials, site development, coordination of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, the project planning process, and more.

Students were accompanied by School Guidance Counselor Rachael Rossi, CAD Instructor Tristan Belanger, and Engineering Instructor Kathryn Szymaszek.

“Many students at Whittier Tech are enrolled in programs that either directly or indirectly align with professional opportunities in the construction field,” said Rossi. “This summer, I participated in an AGC MA externship program and I’m thrilled that my students will now get a firsthand view of those opportunities.”

The field trip was made possible by Rossi, who participated in an externship program in August through AGC MA. It was designed to show school administrators the breadth and depth of lucrative and desirable construction and engineering career paths.

"Thank you to Columbia, AGC MA, and Guidance Counselor Rossi for organizing this fantastic opportunity for our students to visit an active construction site and gain valuable knowledge firsthand," Superintendent Lynch said.

“At Columbia, we love introducing young people to the meticulous processes, innovative technologies, and passionate, hardworking professionals who make projects like this expansion possible,” said Bill Aalerud, Chair of AGC MA and Executive Vice President of Columbia. “We hope that many of these students will go on to consider careers in construction.”