‘Build Your Career Forum’ helps create success stories

Anthony Bielski loves to see success stories – especially those stories that have young people getting their dream jobs in the trades. The North Scott High School teacher was at an annual event called the “Build Your Career Forum” on Thursday, Nov. 16. The event helps create those stories by matching up local students with […]

Anthony Bielski loves to see success stories – especially those stories that have young people getting their dream jobs in the trades. The North Scott High School teacher was at an annual event called the “Build Your Career Forum” on Thursday, Nov. 16. The event helps create those stories by matching up local students with jobs in plumbing, construction, roofing, electrical, drywall and many other trade positions.

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“There have been a lot of success stories here. … I had a kid who is now working in the trades, making $38 an hour, and I don’t think he’s even 19 years old yet,” said Mr. Bielski, an industrial tech teacher at North Scott who brought nearly 30 students to the career forum. The event was held at the Iowa National Guard Armory, located at 5300 W. Kimberly Road, Davenport. That event, which attracted about 175 students from several area high schools, also brought in representatives from about 30 companies to talk with the students about careers in the trades. Some companies represented included: Van Pelt Drywall, Steve’s Mirror & Glass, Koehler Electric, Erdman Construction, Carpetland and many others. The event aims to connect the students with people from the skilled trades fields in hopes that the young people might fill those jobs in the near future. “They might not be hired today, but it might happen this summer or when they graduate. … The goal here is to open kids’ eyes to a career they might not have known about,” said Amy Pearson of Future Builders of Iowa, one of the sponsors of the forum. Ms. Pearson was one of the event’s organizers. The forum  – presented by the Quad Cities Builders and Remodelers Association and the QC Student Trades Initiative – lasted several hours and into early Thursday afternoon. Most of that time, the students were split into groups of four and placed at a series of 26 tables at the armory. Each table featured a “mentor” – a local company rep who told the students about the trades. Also at each table was a list of questions and topics the mentors addressed for the students. Some of the questions included: Are there pathways to advance in your field? What should students focus on in high school? How did you get to where you are today in your field?  The mentors talked to each four-student group for eight minutes. At the end of that time, forum organizers blew a whistle to signal it was time to change and the mentors moved to different tables as the student groups stayed in place. (That move “created a lot less chaos,” said one organizer at the Thursday event.) Both mentors and students seemed happy with the forum and its offerings. Several company representatives added that they were pleased that many of the young people seemed to be interested, engaged in conversation and asked good questions. “I’m telling them there is no lid (on your future advancement) once you learn a trade. … They can really go far in these fields,” said Janessa Ormsby, owner of Chic Design + Build in Bettendorf, who was one of the mentors. (Chic Design is a custom build and remodeling firm.) Ms. Ormsby added that she was especially pleased how the students spent a lot of time asking questions. Some of the questions she fielded included: How much do you make? Did you have to go to school to get your job? How long did you have to work in your field to earn your current salary? One of the students asking questions and learning about the trades was Mason Stahler, 17, a senior at the Edison Academy Alternative Program in Bettendorf. He especially liked learning about carpentry and house framing from the mentors. “I really like the idea of starting to build something from the dirt up,” he added. The event sponsors included: Ace Waterproofing & Basement Solutions; Ascentra Credit Union; Erdman Construction; Gannon Roofing, Siding, Windows; Twin Bridge Roofing and Construction; Van Pelt Drywall; National Housing Endowment; Iowa Army National Guard; Quad Cities Builders and Remodelers Association; Future Builders of Iowa and Quad City Bank & Trust.