Youth Outreach and Education Arm Attends the Leon Works Career Fair

Words: Conner Birdsong

On Friday, April 25, the Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) participated in the Leon Works Expo in Tallahassee, FL, reaching over 1,000 high school students from Leon County and surrounding areas. In collaboration with local contractor Masonry Inc., we offered students an engaging, hands-on experience at our outdoor demonstration booth, where they had the opportunity to spread mortar and lay bricks and blocks under expert guidance.

Inside, our booth highlighted the wide range of career paths available in the masonry industry—including bricklaying, block laying, truck driving, project planning, estimating, crew supervision, site management, material supply, and equipment operation. Students learned how masonry offers long-term opportunities for growth, entrepreneurship, and advancement within the skilled trades.

Through this event, we helped introduce the next generation to the stability, creativity, and demand that define a career in masonry.

 

                                            
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