Students See Themselves in Glass at GlassBuild America

GlassBuild America, held Sept. 23-25 in Las Vegas, Nevada, welcomed 250 local Clark County, Nevada, students to the show floor on the final day of the show. The students had the opportunity to walk the show floor, meet with participating companies, talk with representatives about what their companies do and partake in hands-on demonstrations. 

“College costs are skyrocketing. Parents and students alike increasingly question the value of a four-year degree, and students worry about starting their adult lives deep in debt. The glass and glazing industry offers an alternative path to a rewarding, fulfilling career that begins immediately after high school, and events like this give students a firsthand look at opportunities,” says Lakisha Woods, president and CEO of the National Glass Association.  

Student expectations going in 

Izabella C. is a sophomore at a Clark County school who participated in the event at GlassBuild. She said she was looking forward to learning more about glass because, "you see glass everywhere, but you don't really know too much about it." She also said that as a female student, she was looking forward to hearing more from women in the field about their experience and the opportunities out there for her.  

"Being here is just about finding more things to do. This field is huge and I'm very open minded about what I want to do in the future," says Izabella. “I know I’m interested in construction, and that construction is sort of an umbrella. I think glass is under that umbrella and I can make some new connections today.” 

Jackson C., another sophomore from the same school, said that he knows he wants to go into the trades, but hasn't decided specifically what he wants to specialize in. He hoped the day would inspire him and open some new ideas about what his career could look like. 

Following the Career Discovery Trail 

Fourteen exhibitors participated in the Career Discovery Trail, which was a path of companies on the trade show floor that the students followed. This “trail” offered the students a glimpse into the broad range of capabilities and product offerings that make up the glass industry and the jobs associate with them. They had the chance to speak with company officials spanning from expertise in robotics, machinery, software, hardware, glass transportation and glass fabrication.  

One company that participated in the Career Discovery Trail was Q-Railing. Angela Santos, marketing specialist with Q-Railing, said that she was excited for the students to come by their booth because of the importance of education. "Not a lot of people know about this industry until they get the chance to learn about it. And once you learn about it, it really is so interesting. There's so many different opportunities out there." 

Santos added that she was looking forward to speaking with young girls as a woman in a male-dominated field, to offer inspiration to them that they can join this industry too and there are allies out there paving the way.  

Similarly, Letty Angel, senior marketing manager at CRL, says “[CRL is] very invested in education. Kids often aren’t aware of the types of opportunities in this field, so we would love to have more engagement like this tour for students.” 

Gardner Walker is another company that was on the trail. “We want to support the industry and the future,” says CEO and President Randy Brooks. “The more bright and young folks we can attract the better. We also want to be good industry citizens by getting involved with initiatives like this.” 

Charles Alexander, vice president of sales and marketing at Gardner Walker, added that he hasn’t spent his whole career in the glass industry like many others. He says that the industry is overall a “healthy, well-run industry and fun to be a part of,” and that’s something he wanted to convey to the students.  

Skills Challenge Area offers hands-on component 

Also on the Career Discovery Trail was the Skills Challenge Area. This part of the day offered hands-on activities for the students.  

Dow was one of six companies with a booth in this area. Students had the opportunity to caulk names or designs between two small panes of glass. This challenge tested their precision and fine motor skills, and students were able to take their creations home with them. At this booth, students also learned about the importance of safety and personal protective equipment, like goggles and gloves. 

A representative for Dow says they wanted to participate in the day to “support up and coming kids.” She adds that the industry needs to work “to get [students] excited about the different opportunities out there.” 

Also in this area, AGMT taught students to step up to a storefront entrance mock-up, find what's wrong, and dial in the closer before their competition did. Hardware & Glass showed students how to level glass in a railing system. The Shower Door Professionals Co-Op challenged students to identify what’s wrong with their shower door installation, and FHC tested them on their measuring skills.  

“It was clear students left with a better understanding of what a career in glass can offer,” says NGA Vice President of Workforce Development Jenni Chase. “We're grateful to everyone who took the time to share their expertise and make this experience a success.”