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Observing high-rise construction work, touring a cement plant and talking story with Maui's biggest developers were just some of the assignments Maui educators had on their summer break.

Eight Maui educators spent last week in the "Tools of the Trade" internship program, which gives Department of Education faculty the skills and knowledge to prepare students for careers in the construction industry.

"I was curious to find out what I needed to do to improve, in order to get my students that I work with into the industry," said Thomas Nakamoto, an industrial arts teacher at Baldwin High School. "This gave me a very broad picture of all the occupations that feed into the construction trade."

Tad Iwata, a college and career counselor at Maui High School, found the internship rewarding for himself and thinks it will be for his students, too.

"I was never exposed to this kind of carpentry and construction side of the trade. By going through this, I could be more informative, I could relay the information or make contacts to bring in the professionals to speak to them."

Teachers from Lahainaluna and King Kekaulike high schools also participated in the program. All are part of the Construction Academy offered at their schools. This is a statewide program that enhances curriculum and preapprenticeship training opportunities at 34 public high schools. It is administered through the University of Hawaii Community College system in partnership with the DOE.

During the program, which ended Friday, educators learned how projects develop in the boardroom, and they got close-up looks at architecture, subcontracting, construction techniques and sustainable development.

Sponsors of the program, The Pacific Resource Partnership and Alexander & Baldwin Inc., hope that the program assists educators to prepare students with the skills for careers in construction and development. PRP promotes unionized carpentry and secures work for its signatory contractors. It also develops initiatives to strengthen Hawaii's building sector, according to a release.

Iwata said he enjoyed meeting with developers and contractors and the "great minds" behind projects, especially developer Everett Dowling.

Dowling is bulding a $220 million luxury housing project in Makena, which will be registered as LEED, (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified, as it will include environmentally friendly features.

Iwata said he was able to get a developer's perspective on what they do and why they do it, and will share that with his students.

As a counselor, Iwata said he sees students who could excel in construction.

He said some students already have experience in the construction field from helping family and friends on the weekends, while other students like working with their hands and would rather pursue a trade than attend college.

"I think this would be a great option for them and go and get training," he said.

Iwata said that through a visit to the Maui Economic Development Board, he also learned of success stories about women who entered these nontraditional work fields.

King Kekaulike graphic arts teacher Tyler Orikasa also has ideas about how to implement his training into the classroom.

He sees his students developing brochures for new buildings and construction projects.

Orikasa said another thing he'll instill in his students is how those in the industry stressed that workers need to be hardworkers who show up on time.

He also gained some personal knowledge about how long it takes to plan and create something, including how long it takes to follow state and county guidelines when building a project.

Orikasa said that knowledge will be valuable to him personally, as he is also building his own house.

For Nakamoto, his favorite experience was seeing a high-rise building being built, with different stages of construction going on at different levels.

"It was a real eye opener to see the different levels. . . . That was pretty nice."

Each educator had to apply to the program and include an essay on how Tools of the Trade would benefit their teaching and students.

"I hope they bring it back next year and other teachers can have the same experience we did. We had a great time," Orikasa said.

* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.