Southern Regional Council of Carpenters staff participated in high school tours of the Local 551 Pasadena (Houston) Carpenters’ training facility.
La Porte ISD and Santa Fe ISD students had the opportunity to talk to seasoned veterans of the trade and learn more about the benefits of Carpenter and Millwright apprenticeship training programs.
The local facility has not hosted a high school visit in years, but Training Coordinator Howard Smith is taking efforts to get the ball rolling. Smith says these tours are important in allowing the young generation to envision themselves and get inspired by a future in the trades.
“We’re just trying to open doors for high school students to learn our craft,” said Smith.
He says that the atmosphere at the school has recently improved immensely. There is a lot more dedication among apprentices, all due to the efforts of the staff. They pride themselves on their dedication to teaching their students.
“We feel if there’s a talent or a skill set that’s not used, it’s being wasted,” said Smith.
“College isn’t for everybody. There’s good money to be made from the carpenter and millwright trades to support your family and get started on your life.”
Smith looks forward to more outreach with local high schools. We hope to continue collaborating with more high schools as capturing the interest of the next generation of carpenters is imperative to the SRCC’s goals.
For more info on apprenticeship programs, visit https://sdttf.org.