Students at a Philadelphia vocational high school get a glimpse of their potential at Citizens Bank Park

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Students at a North Philadelphia vocational high school got a behind-the-scenes look Wednesday at the skilled trades that keep Citizens Bank Park operating.

The ballpark tour was designed to expose students at Mercy Career and Technical High School to the places a skilled labor career could take them. Presenters told students about union apprenticeships and the value of being on time and dependable. Students toured the Citizens Bank Park carpentry shop, learned from an electrician, and saw how huge pumps move water from under the field.

“We are running systems that require skilled labor, and these are very important positions — HVAC positions, electricians, carpenters, plumbers,” said Carolyn DiGuiseppe, general manager of facility services at the ballpark for Oak View Group. “These are great future roles for them. If they’re interested, it’s a great way to be a part of the team and really make a nice living."

The tour was organized by NEST, a facilities management firm based in Sewell, New Jersey.

“What we’re trying to do is also make it look cool to the youths, so that they realize that this can be a reputable thing to do as well," said NEST CEO Rob Almond. "[There's] not a better place in the world than Citizens Bank Park to show them.”

Almond said the current shortage of skilled labor means contractors often have to turn away jobs or delay work because they don’t have enough qualified help. “Unfortunately, they have to turn down work. Or it’s two- to three-week lead times. Especially when it’s a trade that’s in demand, like HVAC,” he said.

Seeing the underbelly of CBP was an eye-opener for Mercy junior Von Gallagher. “Under the stadium. It’s like, seeing how all the things go on is crazy,” he said “It just opened my eyes up to how things really are in the workforce.”

Mercy Career and Technical High School, within the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, is the only four-year co-educational Catholic vocational high school in the United States.