West Newsmagazine 5-1-24

38 I
May 1, 2024
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE
@WESTNEWSMAG
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM
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metal shops, from the curriculum.
There has been a stigma against trade jobs
that has been hard to shake after decades of
society prioritizing the four-year degree.
“I think the lack of workers in trades was
due to the mindset that college is a must,”
Schindler said. “There was a point where
‘for-profit’ schools were popping up all over
the place and selling false hope to students
who were probably questioning whether
college was the right path.”
Jason Hughes, president of T.R. Hughes
Homes in St. Charles and the current president
of the St. Louis Home Builders Association,
agreed that college is not for everyone,
and feels more investments should be made
into industrial tech classes within schools.
“In my opinion, more investments should be
made in industrial tech classes in schools.
College isn’t for everyone,” Hughes said.
“You can make a very good wage in the
trades.”
The home building industry has seen
wages for residential building workers rise
significantly over the last several years.
According to Build My Future, average
hourly earnings for residential building
workers were $30.71 per hour in November
2023, increasing 4% from $29.52 per hour a
year ago. This was over 14% higher than the
manufacturing’s average hourly earnings
of $26.91 per hour and 8.9% higher than
transportation and warehousing earnings of
Boosting the skilled trade workforce will
be especially prioritized as more opportunities
become available due to federal legislation
like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,
a U.S. federal statute enacted by Congress
and signed into law by President Joe Biden
in 2021, and the CHIPS and Science Act,
ratified in 2022.
Hughes believes the reason for the lack
of interest in the skilled trades of late is a
combination of two factors coming together
at once.
“For a long time, parents and schools have
been pushing students to get a four-year
degree, but the trades also have an aging
workforce,” Hughes said. “We are making
great headway with the local high schools/
tech schools, to get the word out.”
Vargas believes the shortage is caused
by both the mass exodus of Baby Boomers
from the workforce and a misleading
message given to families for years that a
four-year college is the only acceptable,
successful path after high school graduation.
“The remedy is to continue righting this
message through the de-stigmatization of
non-four-year college training opportunities,”
Vargas said.
INSTEAD OF
2 YEARS
(Conveniently located in Winchester Plaza by St. Louis Bread Co.)
Vargas and Schindler both agreed that
through events like Build My Future STL,
636-230-8081
students and parents can see many successful
career pathways previously hidden by
visit our website: www.ClineDentalGroup.com or call us at 636-230-8081
428 Old State Road • Ellisville, MO 63021
Hands-on activities are a big part of the
event.
(Photos courtesy of Jeanie Smith)
mainstream pressures.
“Many regional high school tech schools
are out of real estate and seats. Money is
tighter in public education now more than
ever, so all the more reason to forge strong
school-industry partnerships to solve these
pain points,” Vargas said.
The pendulum is starting to swing the
other way, Schindler said. Discussing the
event with students after the fact shows the
message about other options is sinking in.
“As far as being able to tell if Build My
Future STL is making a difference, I think
it’s unquestionably yes,” Schindler said.
“Processing the experience with students
who attend the event, you can see their faces
light up when they talk about the options
opened up to them post-high school.”
Stefan Sigurdson, owner of Allen Roofing
& Siding in Ellisville and HBA member
exhibiting at Build My Future STL, said,
“This event presents an opportunity for
students to discuss a career path in the
trades with representatives from different
companies and to gain direct insight into
what each position entails. I believe more
investment into school trade programs will
help more students to get excited about
trade careers. Exposure in high school to
different trade positions helps create familiarity
as career options are considered. The
community can help by creating more
awareness around Build My Future STL as
a resource for students evaluating different
career paths and considering a position in
the trades.”
Since the showcase began, Allen Roofing
& Siding has seen an increase in interest
in trade jobs, with some translation to fulltime
hires.
Hughes says that his company can also
tell a difference in student interest in trade
work since Build My Future STL began.
“We have actually had students hired right
from the show floor. That is not the norm,
but it has happened,” Hughes said.
To learn more about Build My Future
STL, visit buildmyfuturestl.com.