Apprenticeships & Training

TRADE-BOUND STUDENTS CELEBRATE CAREER SIGNING DAY

BROOKE COUNTY, W.Va. — For generations, a four-year college degree has been widely seen as the surest route to success.

But at Brooke High School, students are getting a different kind of head start — one that moves them from the classroom into union apprenticeship programs and, eventually, the workforce.

On Wednesday, students took part in a career signing day for those accepted into various union apprenticeship programs. The event was attended by school staff, families and current union trade members.

“It does an excellent job of setting kids up for the future as we all know not everybody is a four-year college degree student and getting these kids an opportunity to get in the workforce right away and learn those different types of skills they need in order to be successful outside of school is a great thing,” Brooke Principal Eric James said.

The program is designed to give students a head start and put them on the necessary path before they graduate high school.

“This is a huge opportunity this is something that wasn’t available when I was younger,” building construction teacher Jack Minger said. “You usually had to get on with a construction company first. So they’re taking these guys from the experience from our program and letting them test to get into the union.”

Beyond student opportunity, the program also addresses a growing need for workers to fill trade jobs — an economic concern that has grown over the last decade.

“Especially over the last 10 years, we’ve been partnering with as many schools as we can trying to get into them and work with schools like Brooke Schools to let them know what their opportunities are in the trades and careers within the trades,” said Jody Bonfini, a council representative with the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters.

“The opportunity is out there. I’m an older guy, an electrician, and I get called daily for this kind of work. The earlier we got these kids into it, they’re like sponges, they adapt quickly with their hands with their minds,” said Nick Petrovich, an instructor in career and technical education at Brooke High School.

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