As more people leave the trade industry, Omaha’s largest school district is now taking steps to get students into the business. Omaha Public Schools is now partnering with local electrical and plumbing unions to teach students about their work, hoping it rebuilds an industry struggling to meet the demand.When Ben Morgan became a plumber 15 years ago his plumbing class was a decent size.”Our class was only 12 to 18,” said Morgan.Back then that seemed suitable, but now the industry is growing.”With the demand that we’re seeing, we’re still going to take another 40 this upcoming spring,” said Morgan.Morgan is a training coordinator with Plumbers Local 16 and his job is to teach future plumbers the foundations to kick-start their careers.He said they train apprentices over five years, “turning out the best and the brightest plumbers.”Over the years, trade workers have seen an increase in work but a decline in workers. OPS is now playing a role in making the trade industry attractive to its students.”Part of the college and career academies and pathways work is what’s high skill, high wage, in-demand jobs so that our students are ready for the future,” said OPS Chief Academic Officer Susan Kristofferson. She said the program allows students the opportunity to gain hands-on skills while doing it in an engaging way.”You just don’t know what you can become until you have some experience and exposure to what’s really out there,” said Kristofferson.Students in all nine OPS high schools are attending job fairs like the one that took place at Burke High School.”I think this opens up possible doors for them to see what they can do or what they might be interested in, or something they’d never thought about before,” said Kristofferson.The goal is to bring the resources to the classroom including Morgan who visits Central High School weekly.”We want to cast the biggest net that we can. So we’re looking to get these students right out of high school. We want them to know that there is some there’s so much more,” said Morgan.He said he’s transparent with students, opening up about the pros, cons, pay and future.For him, it’s more than just recruiting: It’s letting students know that no matter what path they choose, there’s something for everyone.”College isn’t for everybody. Construction isn’t for everybody. But if you really like to see a building come from fruition and know you’re going to be the first one on the job, you’re going to be the last one to leave and every time you drive by that building, you’re going to point and be like, ‘Oh, I built that. I was a part of that building,'” said Morgan.
As more people leave the trade industry, Omaha’s largest school district is now taking steps to get students into the business. Omaha Public Schools is now partnering with local electrical and plumbing unions to teach students about their work, hoping it rebuilds an industry struggling to meet the demand.
When Ben Morgan became a plumber 15 years ago his plumbing class was a decent size.
“Our class was only 12 to 18,” said Morgan.
Back then that seemed suitable, but now the industry is growing.
“With the demand that we’re seeing, we’re still going to take another 40 this upcoming spring,” said Morgan.
Morgan is a training coordinator with Plumbers Local 16 and his job is to teach future plumbers the foundations to kick-start their careers.
He said they train apprentices over five years, “turning out the best and the brightest plumbers.”
Over the years, trade workers have seen an increase in work but a decline in workers. OPS is now playing a role in making the trade industry attractive to its students.
“Part of the college and career academies and pathways work is what’s high skill, high wage, in-demand jobs so that our students are ready for the future,” said OPS Chief Academic Officer Susan Kristofferson.
She said the program allows students the opportunity to gain hands-on skills while doing it in an engaging way.
“You just don’t know what you can become until you have some experience and exposure to what’s really out there,” said Kristofferson.
Students in all nine OPS high schools are attending job fairs like the one that took place at Burke High School.
“I think this opens up possible doors for them to see what they can do or what they might be interested in, or something they’d never thought about before,” said Kristofferson.
The goal is to bring the resources to the classroom including Morgan who visits Central High School weekly.
“We want to cast the biggest net that we can. So we’re looking to get these students right out of high school. We want them to know that there is some there’s so much more,” said Morgan.
He said he’s transparent with students, opening up about the pros, cons, pay and future.
For him, it’s more than just recruiting: It’s letting students know that no matter what path they choose, there’s something for everyone.
“College isn’t for everybody. Construction isn’t for everybody. But if you really like to see a building come from fruition and know you’re going to be the first one on the job, you’re going to be the last one to leave and every time you drive by that building, you’re going to point and be like, ‘Oh, I built that. I was a part of that building,'” said Morgan.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
