Connecting high school students to the trades

To meet the demand for skilled construction workers, North Idaho College created a pre-apprenticeship program to get high school kids interested in entering the trades.

Dean of Instruction and Workforce Education Vicki Isakson is calling the program a major success.

“We always have the vision of having closer working relationships with our high schools,” Isakson said. “They’ll have a higher earning potential if they get a start early on with it.”

The attendance rate was 100% for 11 students who participated in the program for 15 days. Students left with OSHA and CPR certifications, college credit and apprenticeship opportunities. The students did 121 interviews and followed the pre-apprenticeship with a community job fair.

Isakson collaborated with local businesses and the North Idaho Building and Contractors Association to create a high school program with the goal of getting students interested in entering the trades earlier. The program trained students in areas like HVAC, construction, plumbing and heavy equipment operating to enter the workforce or go on to further training.

Companies supported the initiative as an answer to the growing demand in the trade industries for workers.

“A lot of schools got rid of programs like shop, home economics, wood, mechanics,” NIBCA Education Committee Chair Steffani Hoffman said. “Now the push is to get those back into the school.”

Hoffman collaborated with NIC to create a targeted program to reach kids before they’re already on a career path. The idea was that college-age kids are already on a career path, and they had to start younger.

“There will be a lot of technology involved,” Hoffman said. “But we have to start now. We want Idaho to be the leader in 3D printing technology in the West.”

But developing that kind of future workforce has to begin with long-term planning and enhanced skills now.

“Our hope is eventually that they start to build mentorship,” Hoffman continued.

NIC's goal is to expand the pre-apprenticeship program next year. The training program should develop as a seamless transition to employment in the trades.

“Businesses recognize the necessity of getting individuals engaged at a younger age in order to influence their career aspirations,” Isakson said. “There’s just not enough workers out there right now.”

The vision of businesses and NIBCA is to create a business future for the Panhandle, with a steady flow of employees ready to fill skilled industrial and construction jobs, some of whom will become industry leaders in the trades.

Skilled young workers will mean skilled futures.

The pre-apprenticeship program's expansion will include stronger advertising, more hands-on opportunities and more trade professionals to participate in the program, Isakson said.

“The intention is to build upon this,” Isakson said. “The intention is to continue it on. No one saw any reason to discontinue it, and the excitement is carrying forward.”