Hill County Electric & Triangle Communications Host 3rd Annual Opportunity in Trades Day
At Hill County Electric, we are committed to investing in our communities and the future workforce. That’s why we recently hosted the 3rd Annual Opportunity in Trades Day, an event designed to introduce high school students to hands-on careers in skilled trades.
This year, we partnered with Triangle Communications, MSU-Northern, CHR Solutions, Vermeer, and VEC to offer nine different learning tracks in the morning. During lunch, students heard from industry professionals about the many career paths available in the trades, including job opportunities, wages, and training programs. In the afternoon, they selected a track that interested them most and participated in a hands-on activity.
Students had the opportunity to engage in a variety of real-world tasks, including:
- Wiring a meter loop
- Path to becoming a lineman
- Building and testing cables
- Operating a bore machine through a virtual simulator provided by Vermeer, as well as an actual bore machine
- Conducting a Geo Caching exercise using GPS coordinates
- Running diagnostics on a Vermeer plow and a digger truck
- Hands on welding exercise
At Hill County Electric, we believe events like this are essential in showcasing career paths beyond a traditional four-year degree. The trades provide excellent opportunities, offering hands-on learning, good wages, and the ability to earn while you learn.
This year, nearly 170 students from 10 area high schools attended the event. MSU-Northern also brought students from its Plumbing, Welding, Diesel Technology, and Global Positioning courses, allowing high schoolers to interact with those already pursuing careers in these fields.
We are proud to support programs that help students explore fulfilling career options, and look forward to continuing this tradition for years to come.
