From the ground up: Fred Eberle students build structure for Upshur County Schools bus garage

BUCKHANNON, W.Va. – Students from the Fred Eberle Technical Center Carpentry program received real-world experience recently while building a shelter – from the ground up – for Upshur County Schools bus drivers.

The structure will stand on four pillars with a roof, acting as protection to the Upshur County bus garage unleaded gas and diesel pumps.

“This project will help in keeping the gas pumps in good condition and to help them last longer,” said Grahm Lambert, a second-year carpentry student. 

Hands-on training like this allows students to gain knowledgeable experiences outside of the classroom, while building a ‘toolbox’ of skills they can take with them post-graduation.

“This project gives students on-the-job training where they can learn different skills that they would not normally get in the school system,” said Randall Cunningham, carpentry program instructor at Fred Eberle Technical Center.

In preparation for a project like this, students were taught basic measurements, leveling techniques, structure design and safety training. Some skills needed for this specific project included mounting the pillars to concrete and making sure the structure was level.

“The purpose of this project is to get us out there in the field, so we can learn how to do these things,” said Alex Bennett, a carpentry student. “Not just hear how to do these things in the classroom, but to see how to do them and to do the work, too.”

Offering advice for future carpentry students at Fred Eberle Technical Center, Bennett said it’s important to be teachable and always willing to learn more,

Carpentry is a career path that is in need of professionals in today’s workforce.

“There is more construction work in the world today than there are carpenters to do it,” Cunningham said. “I’ve been doing carpentry for almost 40 years now. I have never had a day that I did not have something to do.”

Fred Eberle Technical Center offers students a variety of hands-on opportunities for both current high school students (from Barbour, Lewis and Upshur counties) as well as post-secondary students, for one- and two-year career training programs. Those career training programs include carpentry, welding, cosmetology and practical nursing, to name a few.

Start your training at Fred Eberle Technical Center today! To learn more about program offerings at Fred Eberle Technical Center, visit their website or call 304-472-1259 for more information.