When I Grow Up, I Want to Be....

If I worked on the construction site I would be an operator because it's fun and I would like to drive a big machine.

I would like to drive the roller, just like that lady. It looks like fun to be that high up.

When 22 boys and girls age 4 to 10 years visited a MassDOT construction site in Lanesborough earlier this spring, District Resident Engineer Charlie Najimy and the construction crew gave them an unforgettable learning experience- and then gave them an assignment.  First, the learning. 

The children and parent chaperones from the Berkshires Homeschool Community donned the safety-required hardhats and vests and spent the day learning about constructing a roadway, in this case the US-7/State Route 8 Connector Road in Lanesborough.  Along the way, the students learned of the variety of jobs and skills, training and education required on a construction site.  The children asked questions of the lab personnel, surveyors, Contractor's Superintendent, foremen, laborers, and equipment operators.  Najimy says the children "were quite excited to see the heavy equipment up close and feedback from the mothers has been very positive."

And the assignment?  Charlie asked the students to go back and think about what they saw and then tell him which career they would be most interested in pursuing, when they grow up.  Their responses were as varied as the jobs they saw.

I would like to be a laboratory personnel.  It would be interesting to work with the tools and test the materials.  It sounds fun to me.

If I had to choose I would be an engineer. Because I want to be like you plus I kind of like math.

I want to be a blaster because I've never seen dynamite before and because it's fun.

Thanks to Charlie,  MassDOT Highway Division District 1, and the contractors ET&L for their knowledge and inspiration.