Building Industry Beckons to Youths

County education and building officials on Tuesday unveiled 10 videos aimed at informing students about career opportunities in the construction industry.

The videos, screened in Huntington Beach, depict careers in the building industry and discuss educational requirements, salary ranges, types of work and opportunities for advancement.

The videos are a joint venture of the Orange County Department of Education and the Home Builders Council, an educational arm of the Building Industry Assn. of Southern California Inc., and they are expected to reach students across the nation.

Some of the videos--which run 10 to 15 minutes--have been purchased by school districts in 30 states, said Kathy Chambers-Johnson, who worked on the committee that produced the videos.

Sandy Goldstein, marketing manager for the county Department of Education, said the videos’ topics make sense because one-third of the jobs in the United States--from carpenters to architects to property managers--are contained within the building industry.

Chambers-Johnson said the industry’s motive for making the videos, and participating in other education efforts, is to prepare a strong workforce for the future.

The $60,000 production cost for the tapes, which was shared equally by the Education Department and the Home Builders Council, will be at least partially recouped through tape sales. About 300 tapes have already been sold at $75 each.