Hands-on instruction at Sampson Community College is going through the roof. This week, students are receiving more hands-on training as they build and install trusses on top of the campus’s newest structure.

“This is what it’s all about when it comes to hands-on learning,” says Building Construction instructor, Dustin Hatcher. “Today, these students are setting engineered roof trusses. They are learning how to space them out properly, rig them and fasten them so they are secure and hold the building together as designed. This kind of real-world experience is the kind of thing they can take with them when they leave here. They can show an employer that they’ve actually done it, which many times can be a huge boost to learning in the classroom.”

Students put the finishing touches on a truss at SCC.

Trusses are commonplace when building structures and to carry the weight of the roof and transfer weight across the structure to provide horizontal stability. They are typically triangular and form the slope at the top of houses and other buildings.

Sampson Community College’s Building Construction Technology program prepares students to apply skills to the fields of architecture, construction, construction management, and other associated professions. These are regularly viewed as skills that will always be needed in the workforce. Graduates can qualify for entry-level jobs in architectural, engineering, construction and trades professions as well as positions in industry and government.

Hatcher says it is never too late to acquire these skills and start work soon afterward. “This is just one of the real buildings we are working on. If you are considering signing up to learn this trade, you should know that we have two similar buildings in the works that we are planning to build, and we always have other similar projects that students are able to dive into and learn from.”

For more information about Building Construction Technology classes at SCC, contact Hatcher at dhatcher@sampsoncc.edu.