WHEELING — More than 1,000 students from across the Ohio Valley visited the annual Project BEST Building Construction Trades Showcase at Wheeling Park on Wednesday.

Dozens of companies and trade workers set up informational tables inside the park’s skating rink to talk with the students about their offerings in training and jobs.

Outside in the parking lot students got a hands-on look at some trades by operating a crane and a backhoe, finishing concrete, trying on mining safety equipment and more.

Project BEST Director Nathan Butts said the event is an important one for the trades to attract new people into the fields of work.

“We had over 1,000 kids from 30 different school districts come and learn about all the various union trades, along with some of the local contractors. Some bank

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