Regardless of how they entered the Williamson County Expo Center on Wednesday, hundreds of students left with their eyes and minds opened to new possibilities.
Attendees at the Trades Day Career Fair explored various technical jobs, some with the potential of earning six figures just a few years after high school without going to college.
“Our goal is to really get kids ready for the workplace and let them know what’s out there,” said Tia Stone, president of the Taylor Chamber of Commerce. This is the fifth year the Chamber has organized this event. More than 20 major industries and employers were represented.
“This fair is about trades and technical information jobs. Some of the companies can help you get your education to get into this lucrative field without any debt. We’re trying to make that connection between high demand, low entry requirement careers and how kids get access to them,” Stone said.
Middle and high school students came from across central Texas to learn about trades they can start immediately after high school graduation. Some brought resumes and participated in mock interviews to improve their skills. Some applied for real jobs. Students interested in attending college discovered options with industries that offer tuition-assistance or scholarship options for engineering jobs.
Dylan Stowe, a freshman from Rogers High School in Temple, wasn’t sure what he was looking for when he came. “I’m here to look around and see what options there might be for the future. I like the VR (virtual reality) stuff. I went to the engineering one and I kind of like that so maybe something with engineering.”
Summer Abdullah, who represented Samsung Austin Semiconductor at the event, said Samsung has opportunities for students straight out of high school as well as those pursuing a college degree in engineering, and they like to start recruiting future employees early. “Today we are focusing on our STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) Academy. Its a program for students who are still in middle school. We help them develop their career,” she said.
Taylor High School students Ezekiel Tellez and Fletcher Adams came not to explore opportunities but to talk about the career path they are already on. They are the first students enrolled in a new plumbing pathway course offered by Taylor High School and taught by Sam Dowdy, owner of S&D Plumbing.
“I joined this class because I see a career in this field and I really enjoy it,” said Tellez. Before, I didn’t have any career plans actually. I would definitely tell other people to do this. Its a fun trade.”
Tellez said after he earns his license he plans to work on the pipelines for a couple of years and then return to Taylor to hopefully work for S&D Plumbing.
Earning a Tradesman plumber license takes 4000 hours of training, but partly because of the efforts of Sam Dowdy, owner of S&D Plumbing, the hours spent in the plumbing class count toward the certification. That means students benefit from starting their careers during high school.
Dowdy has testified before Texas legislation on several bills that make it easier for students to jump into technical and construction careers. “We want to connect kids to the trade. That’s our vision. We want to take the passion and skill we have and introduce it to the next generation and make it successful for them,” Dowdy said.
That success can be measured in dollars, according to S&D Plumbing marketing director Brad Lawson.
“Kids can come to a plumbing company and start making a good living right away while they’re getting trained. For example an apprentice can come to us with no experience at all and within three years we’ve given him the training to advance toward his Tradesman license. We have Tradesmen making $100,000 and more. The earning potential really is there,” Lawson said.
Mike Grant, Marc Pendleton and Alfredo Alaniz attended the career fair on behalf of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
“We are a four year apprenticeship program and we are an alternative to college,” Alaniz said. “Kids can come to our program and not have that college debt. They work during the day to get their 40 hour a week in and then they come to school once a week at night.”
“They earn and learn at the same time and they get great raises until they’re making $34/hour plus benefits,” said Pendleton.
The ability to earn a good living even for students who don’t have the ability to attend college is crucial, according to Jennifer Plant, a middle school math teacher in Coupland. Plant accompanied a group of 8th grade students to the event.
“We are just amazed at the opportunities this program is giving our students to see the possibilities they can have,” Plant said. “Whether it be going to a trade school, whether it be going to a college, whether it be going to an internship, there are ways to achieve their dreams.”
