High school graduates dig up new careers
Dillion Plaster, a Sandpoint High School graduate, recently signed on to join the team at NPL Construction. He is welcomed to the team by NPL Construction superintendent Rick Oliver.
(Courtesy photo)
Dillion Plaster, who recently graduated from Sandpoint High School, signed on to join the team at NPL Construction and received a $500 National Utility Contractors Association "signing bonus" prize to be used for job site rain gear and work boots. Pictured in the front row, from left are are Plaster’s father Mark Plaster, Dillon Plaster, Rick Oliver, and Plaster’s younger brother, Peyton. Pictured in the back row are Jeralyn Mire, SHS post secondary counselor, and counselor Tavi Brandenburg.
SANDPOINT — Dillon Plaster is digging his new career.
A new graduate of Sandpoint High School, Plaster signed on to join NPL Construction at the annual Dozer Day held in late May.
Dozer Day is an annual community event hosted by the excavation industry to give youths a chance to operate heavy construction equipment and enjoy other excavation-related activities. This year’s event saw record attendance, with nearly 7,000 attendees, contractors, vendors and volunteers passing through the gates at Cabela’s in Post Falls.
This year, the National Utility Contractors Association decided to do something different to give graduating seniors a chance to explore careers in the industry, executive director Sheri Nowlan said.
Changing up an event that has a proven track record is always a risk, Nowlan said. However, after three increasingly successful years of presenting Dozer Day to the region’s families, NUCA decided to make a change — adding the signing day event.
With the ongoing challenges in the workforce, Nowlan said NUCA opened the site a day early and invited high school seniors to a “signing day,” an opportunity to meet with potential employers from the construction industry and, in some instances, to be hired “on the spot.”
"We modeled our signing day after the national recruiting event for high school athletes," she said. "It’s the day they receive a verbal scholarship offer to compete in their sport on a college level. By adding our own ‘signing day’ to Dozer Day weekend, we believe we are giving young adults an even better opportunity: a chance to embark on a life-long career in the high-paying construction industry.”
Students from over a 100-mile radius turned out in force, braving the stormy weather and making the signing day a success, with many new hires, said Rick Oliver, president of NUCA of Eastern Washington and North Idaho and superintendent of NPL Construction.
Among them: Dillon Plaster, who signed on to join NPL.
"He even received our first NUCA ‘signing bonus’ prize of $500 to be used for job site rain gear and work boots," Oliver said.
ACI Northwest also reaped the benefits of the event, NUCA officials said. Brayden Olson and Xavier Marvicsin, who graduated NEWTech Prep in Spokane, signed on to work at ACI Northwest.
"We are very excited to have them join our family and cannot wait to watch their growth within our company,” Heather Andrews, HR director, said.
The event was such a success, Nowlan said NUCA is already looking ahead to Dozer Day 2024. Officials said they will let students who attend the event know that it can — and does — lead to a new career.
“We will definitely share these stories with the students who attend next year’s signing day,” Nowlan said.
Dozer Day 2024 will take place on May 4-5, with the signing day event scheduled for Friday, May 3. To reserve a spot as a hiring company, contact Nowlan at sheri@nuca.com.
