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As part of NGA’s effort to raise awareness of the glass and glazing trades and help the industry recruit new workers, we’re committed to building the pipeline of qualified professionals by engaging both the local community and the broader workforce, including during this year’s show.

The students attended the Main Stage Keynote, Building the World We Want to See, with Emily Pilloton-Lam; visited exhibitor booths to learn about the industry supply chain; joined a mentoring Q&A session with NGA VP, Advocacy & Technical Services, Urmilla Sowell and Dr. Dudley McFarquhar, Ph.D., owner of Waxahachie, Texas-based engineering and consulting firm, McFarquhar Group Inc.; and visited the Architectural Glass & Metal Technician certification rig to see installation skills and the glazing trade being put to the test.

“Our first workforce development day at GlassBuild walked through every aspect of recruiting and retaining employees—how we can bring them into the industry, how we train our people, how we support our people and how we keep them safe,” said Katy Devlin, NGA content director. “We were able to spotlight industry opportunities directly to students starting to think about their future.”

Workforce Development VP Jenni Chase helped facilitate the tour with the students. “During a conversation with two high school-age girls, they asked me what curtain wall means,” she said. “I was able to answer their questions and show them examples on the show floor. The opportunity to engage with this age group in a setting that shows them first-hand the career opportunities available made such an impact on us and the students.”