Cabell County high school students completed installation of new lockers in the Cam Henderson Center for Marshall University’s men’s basketball team.

The students, who are taking vocational classes through Cabell County Career and Technology Center, have been working on the installation of the lockers for the entirety of the school year and finished the project last week.

The collaboration between Marshall University and Cabell County Career and Technology Center is the first of its kind and Travis Bailey, director of Marshall University’s Physical Plant, said he hopes it is not the last.

“I have hopes that we can continue this type of cooperation work,” Bailey said. “(The students) get their hands dirty, they actually have deadlines and budgets, and other things like that.”

Bailey said that this type of opportunity for students is invaluable and is helping to prepare them better for their futures.

“You can do it in a school all day long, but then you graduate and you’re out in the real world, it’s completely different,” Bailey said.

Bailey said the totals up to $40,000 in costs.

Bret Masters, an instructor for construction courses at the Cabell County Career and Technology Center, said he embraced the chance to oversee the collaboration with Marshall.

“It was awesome that Marshall gave us the chance to show our skills that we’ve learned,” Masters said.

Masters also said the installation has been very successful.

“It’s been great,” Masters said. “I couldn’t imagine anything going smoother. It’s great that these kids get that chance, because when they get out in the real world, they’re not going to be panicky or overwhelmed.”

Now that the lockers are completely installed, Bailey said the students will work to install carpet for the locker room around December.

Derek Gilbert can be contacted at [email protected].