For many kids, construction equipment is cool. At Schlouch Incorporated in Berks County, they don’t just get to look at it—they get to experience it firsthand.

Adventure Day has become a longtime tradition at the full-service site development and construction company, giving employees’ children an inside look at the work their parents do every day.

“It’s a good way for them to see what we do every day,” said Andrew Kelchner, Site Crew Coordinator.

Company owner Barry Schlouch says the event began decades ago with a simple idea: Introduce children to the construction industry in a fun, safe, and memorable way.

“I had the idea about 30 years ago and thought, ‘If we exposed the children of our employees, brought them out, let them have a fun day, a safe day in the equipment, see how we create blueprints—from earthwork to asphalt paving—it might inspire them to consider a career,'” Schlouch said.

The idea has paid off. Several current employees attended hands on experiences like this as a child and say the experience inspired them to pursue careers in construction.

Now, it’s the next generation’s turn.

Throughout the day, families rotate through a variety of hands-on activity stations, giving kids the opportunity to learn about different aspects of the industry.

“We do 30-minute stations, and we’ve got rides, equipment demonstrations, a pipe station, and an excavation site,” said organizer and Cemente Coodinator, Stayce Rowlands.

One of the biggest highlights comes at the end of the event.

“The grand finale is they get to ride in the equipment safely. They have a buddy seat,” Schlouch said.

While the event is designed to create lasting family memories, organizers also hope it helps address the industry’s growing workforce needs.

“I think more events like this, getting more kids involved, are going to help with that exposure and get more kids from all different backgrounds into the industry,” Rowlands said.

Schlouch believes introducing young people to the trades early is more important than ever.

“The trade is on fire. There’s great money to be made in the trades and a great living, so we need to encourage more people. These are very important jobs,” Schlouch said.

And if any of the young visitors decide construction is the career for them, Schlouch says he’ll be ready to hire them when the time comes.