ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – On Wednesday, young people in Delta County learned about careers in the trades through hands-on experience.
Midwest Truck Driving School and North Country Electrical Line and Heavy Equipment School welcomed families on site for their third annual Career Exploration Day.
“It has just been more and more popular every single year,” said School Director Josh Barron. “You want to climb a pole today? You want to drive a semi-truck? You want to operate some heavy equipment? It’s unlike any other event. Yeah, you can come here and grab a brat, grab a burger, but today’s about getting down and dirty in some of these different trades that maybe people don’t know too much about.”
According to Barron, these particular trades have grown steadily in popularity.
“Rarely do we ever see an issue with someone not getting employed or not getting into the career and trade that they want, because there’s just such a huge demand for the trades right now,” he said.
In an ever-changing world, jobs like linework and truck driving are steadfast career paths.
“Everyone’s kind of nervous about AI,” said Barron. “They’re always looking for AI-proof careers. All trades are incredibly popular right now. When you look at the amount of people needed to fill this huge gap in the trades, we’re talking decades and decades and decades of hiring in these industries.”
“From what I’ve seen with the track record of our instructors’ past classes, the majority of them are doing exactly what they want to do,” North Country Electrical Line School student Tyler Welch added. “I’m feeling good about it.”
The Career Exploration Day was led by students like Welch, who are currently enrolled in Midwest and North Country programs.
“There’s a lot of opportunity at this school for young people,” Welch said. “In my class alone, one of them came to this career day last year, and he’s here now as a lineman. I think it benefits everybody, and it really does work.”
Some of their pupils were as young as elementary school.
“A few different school districts are showing up today with busloads of students,” Barron said. “It’s something that a lot of schools are getting more and more on board with. I think it’s fantastic for schools and ISDs and CTE programs to bring their students to different trade events like this.”
In addition to providing visitors with a fun day of trying new things, the event showed a new generation early on the value of a trades career.
“If you asked me my senior year of high school what a lineman was, I wouldn’t be able to tell you,” said Barron. “Maybe they come here at nine or ten years old and get to hop up on a pole and climb or drive a semi-truck and say, ‘Wow, this is something that is a viable career option for me maybe down the line.’ That’s the purpose of this, to really educate young people.”
Information on programs available through Midwest Truck Driving School and North Country Electrical Line and Heavy Equipment School is available at midwesttruckdrivingschool.com and ncheschool.com.
