Florida’s concrete industry is experiencing a skilled labor shortage. To give students a look into the field, Florida Gulf Coast University engineering professor Claude Villiers spearheads a yearly event, with professionals from the industry demonstrating the basics of working with concrete through mixing, making cylinders, testing for density, and more.

Event partner Rafael Jimenez has been with the event for a decade.

"One of the things that we try to do is pass on the knowledge of the materials and the best uses of the materials," Jimenez said. "We try to educate the community on the usefulness of construction materials in Florida."

Students volunteered to do seven hands-on concrete demonstrations. Civil engineering junior Kelly Guerrero-Flores had wanted to come to the concrete expo

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