Build My Future Central Missouri introduces students to skilled trades
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
More Mid-Missouri students are exploring careers in the skilled trades, according to construction industry officials.
More than 1,500 high school students registered for Build My Future Central Missouri, a construction career showcase held Wednesday at the Jefferson City Jaycees Fairgrounds.
The event featured hands-on activities where students could practice laying bricks, build miniature toolboxes and attempt to score a soccer goal using a trackhoe.
Rachel Andrews, executive officer of the Home Builders Association of Central Missouri, said the event is gaining popularity. About 1,300 students attended last year’s event, compared with more than 1,500 registered this year.
Andrews also said scholarship applications to the Home Builders Association have increased from about six or seven annually to 20-25 in recent years. She said that growth suggests more students are considering careers in construction.
Heavy equipment operation is often a popular attraction, Andrews said, but students also have shown interest in careers such as HVAC and plumbing. The association surveys students after the event to gauge their experiences.
“They are just amazed that there’s all this that they can do. So that’s why we show them, because it’s hard to tell somebody actually everything that you can do,” Andrews said.
Zermone Miller, a junior at Battle High School, said he is considering a career in welding after graduation. Miller said he enjoyed the wide variety of activities, including the opportunity to use large machinery.
He attended through his school’s career center and connected with DeLong’s Inc., a steel fabrication company.
“If you’re going into anything new and you want to try something new, do welding. It’s really fun. You can learn a lot and make a lot of money from it, too,” Miller said.
Jason Otke, a residential home builder in Columbia and Jefferson City, said his company often works with young people entering the construction industry.
“It gives us hope for the future in trades,” Otke said.
Charlyce Ruth, workforce development manager for the Associated General Contractors of Missouri, said the event draws students from schools within a two-hour radius of Jefferson City.
Ruth said she wants students to understand that a four-year college degree is not the only path to a successful career. Depending on the trade, students can pursue apprenticeships, community college programs or direct employment after high school.
She said she has also heard from unions across the state that the average age of apprentices is decreasing, suggesting younger people are becoming more interested in the trades.
“There’s just more people interested,” Ruth said. “People want to work with their hands.”
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