On Oct. 7, 42 students and five teachers from the North Montco Technical Career Center spent a day at the construction engineering company H&K Group, Inc. It was the first time H&K hosted this kind of event.

Students from the technical career center’s diesel, electrical trades, recreational power, and welding courses participated in the onsite visit; its takeaways include information on the many career pathways H&K offers.

North Montco students and staff began the morning with a guided bus tour of H&K’s Chalfont quarry and asphalt facility.

The bus tour, hosted by H&K managers, brought to life the technical operations of the plant, the company’s environmental responsibility, and several general safety precautions crucial to working in this dynamic setting.

After exiting the coach, the students attended a career fair at H&K’s corporate campus in Skippack to speak with representatives from several H&K divisions.

H&K staff from welding, carpentry, maintenance, administration, environmental, electrical, quarry, and contracting answered students’ questions and offered first-hand insight into their careers. H&K staff also highlighted the positive work culture and employee benefits of the firm.

During the career fair, students had a chance to operate H&K’s very popular CAT virtual training simulator. While in the simulator, students tested their skills on similar equipment to what they saw in motion at the Chalfont quarry.

The experiences and connections made during the day greatly benefit students entering the technical trades.

In addition, North Montco anticipates that this exposure will encourage many students to seek employment with the H&K Group. 

Undoubtedly, partnerships such as this add tremendous value to technical education, the students it serves — and the county’s future workforce.