GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — Green Bay high school students got a firsthand look at career opportunities in the skilled trades during the city's inaugural Trades Day career fair, where nearly 50 local employers showcased job prospects to hundreds of area teens.
The networking event aimed to address the growing demand for skilled trades workers in northeast Wisconsin and help build the region's future workforce.
"We had gone through a time where young people like this were not going into skilled trades careers, so there's definitely a deficit in the workforce for the skilled trades," explained David Polk, Director of the Bureau of Apprenticeship Standards at the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
By 2030, the department estimates Wisconsin's manufacturing sector will add nearly 24,000 jobs statewide, while the construction industry could add almost 10,000 jobs.
"These are really important opportunities for people who maybe don't have enough money to go to college," mentioned Adrian Ehlers, a Green Bay senior student.
Ehlers wants to become a welder and sees an opportunity to break barriers in her chosen field.
"It's a pretty male-dominated industry, and as a woman, I feel like that I would really like to get into that and kind of have more women be in the trade," Ehlers explained.
The appeal of hands-on work and variety in daily tasks excited students about trades careers.
"You're out there, you're getting stuff done, and you can be proud and show people, like, ‘Hey, I made that!’" Amelia Pryes, another high school student, said.
Watch the full story by Jessica Goska here:
The trades fair represents a new approach to connecting young people with career opportunities in northeast Wisconsin's growing skilled trades sector.
Forty-eight businesses, representing careers in construction, welding, plumbing, architecture and manufacturing, attended the fair. All say they’re offering jobs or apprenticeships in the field.
Those interested in learning more about a trads apprenticeship or finding one near them can visit the Wisconsin Apprenticeship page on the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development website.
