The Future of CTE: Empowering the Next Generation of Skilled Workers
Mike Schloff, Founder of Maplewoodshop
On February 10th, 2022, we hosted a webinar to discuss student awareness of career exploration, learning in the classroom, and skill development for the future. I was joined by Tom Sommers, Director of outreach and development of the Northeast Carpenters Training Fund, and Joe Youcha, Director of Building To Teach. In our conversation Tom and Joe shared their thoughts on implementing hands-on building activities that empower students to improve academically and promote workforce readiness.
“What does a career in the building trades look like today?”
My first question for our panelists, both seasoned carpenters and national leaders in construction education, gauged their perspectives on woodworking then vs. now. Tom noted that they belong to an aging generation, and specifically that the average age of carpenters in New Jersey is 52 years old, while the age of retirement is 55. The aging demographic of carpenters coupled with the aging of our infrastructure, including highways and bridges, Tom highlights, has identified a need for trades personnel “[With] the workload that's [increasing], we're going to be hiring quite a few people,” Tom added. Tom’s insight maintained a certain sense of urgency; there is a lot of work to be done, and we need more skilled workers in the building trades to accomplish it.
In response to my question, Tom highlighted that the labor demand he’s referring to is not just a job, but a career. While the work is important, the benefits for this kind of career have vastly improved in recent years, including better pay scales, greater health packages, and sophisticated annuities and pensions. Tom’s essential answer to the question of what a career in the building trades looks like today, focuses on the importance of the work that benefits the public, reinforced by great pay and ever-improving benefits.
“Let’s start early. What would you say, for example, to the parents of a 6th grader?”
“Your child can graduate high school with a purpose at 18, spend the next four years making over a quarter of a million dollars, earning their associate's degree debt-free, and already be making $100,000 a year at the age of 22. Is that an opportunity that you think that you'd like to consider with your child, if they're interested?”Joe answered. He would leave it at that, because as he says, he “can’t imagine that most parents in today’s world would not at least want to explore that possibility.”
I agree that introducing 6th grade students to potential career paths in the trades holds a great deal of opportunity for them. Introduce them to a subject, and if they come to enjoy it, work with it, and learn from it, they can then discover great careers to pursue at a young age. As Joe says, “Those are all things that they can start figuring out when they're in middle school, and if they do like those things, then they should know about these opportunities.”
“What are your thoughts about possible ways that schools could integrate CTE into their existing curriculum?”
With Joe’s extensive background in mathematics, he sees great opportunities for math courses to implement CTE coursework. He noted, “there's nothing that teaches the practical application of math as well or better than the building process.” Integrating hands-on group projects into an established subject can produce exciting new mindsets and learning outcomes for students to look forward to.
Tom added that CTE can easily be worked into the existing conversation about the implementation of project-based learning strategies. “Your skill levels, your ability, your forward-thinking, these are all nurtured and brought out into the process of creating the comradery that we have.” Students enjoy being able to work together and integrating CTE into existing curricula makes that all more possible.
“You can have these children discover this intelligence in their hands, spark that curiosity in 6th grade, so that they can start to be aware of all these benefits and opportunities that are ahead of them.”
The future of CTE is strong and empowering the next generation of skilled workers involves giving these students the opportunity at a young age. Introducing middle school students to such career paths allows them time to learn, explore, and develop their capabilities. There is a lot of great work to be done in the building trades, and students deserve to understand the possible careers that lie ahead.
For more information on how Maplewoodshop can help develop a safe, enjoyable, and productive woodworking program at your school, please attend our future webinars or chat with us today.