October 11, 2018 – Portland, OR

Lift & Move USA offers 'authentic' careers advice

Response from teachers and students following the Lift & Move USA event hosted by NessCampbell Crane & Rigging on October 11 in Portland, Oregon, was extremely positive.

"My students really got a lot out of it and it opened their eyes to definite career possibilities", said Brian Taylor, CTE Metals Instructor for Centralia High School, "Each of the NessCambell employees did a great job speaking to the kids and relating to them. This really makes a difference."

Jennie Fennelle, Senior Advisor in the Center for School, Family, & Community at Education Northwest, was also very positive; "My favorite part was listening to employees tell their stories about how they became involved in the work, their paths to success, and the pride and ownership they have with their jobs.

"Lift & Move USA provided an authentic way for students to connect to learn about skills needed and careers available in this industry. There's nothing like getting to stand next to a 500-ton crane that puts learning in context for the student. The same information just doesn't translate in a photo."

All those in attendance represented high school or post-secondary career and technical education programs. "The student guests were a highly qualified group", said said Tracy Bennett, Lift & Move USA Director, "Many of them are already enrolled in welding, metals, manufacturing, and carpentry programs. Students, teachers and career transition specialists from more than a dozen schools attended the event."

Industry support for the Portland event was exceptional. For the first time, the event included a tower crane, demonstrated by Morrow Equipment. Other hands-on activities were led by Lifting Gear Hire and Industrial Training International.

NessCampbell's live load demonstration, which included lifting an Oshkosh truck and placing it on a trailer to be hauled away, was the culmination of mini-lessons students learned at each station related to safety, engineering, rigging, crane and transport operations.

Steve Klein, Director, Center for School, Family, & Community at Education Northwest, said events like Lift & Move "are critical for taking the content and translating the skills needed by a specific industry into language used by educators for the future development of career and technical education programs of study." Education Northwest develops work-based learning materials for schools and non-profits, such as SkillsUSA, and develops relationships between education and industry.