Egg Harbor Township High School’s free Career Training Series for the Trades four-week mini-course wrapped up on November 16 with 32 on-the-spot job interviews and seven grateful program participants armed with certificates of completion and high-end tool kits to start them off on the right foot.
The accelerated course, which ran from 3 – 6 pm twice a week at EHTHS, was taught by EHTHS instructor Beverly Wilson and included career readiness training, technical math, literacy, resume-writing and interviewing skills. The course curriculum was based on a needs assessment conducted with trades professionals and human resource personnel from the various trades industry employers that are currently partnering with the district.
Representatives from South Jersey Industries, Absecon Mills, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (AISTE) Local 77, and Atlantic County Utilities Authority (ACUA) spent nearly three hours interviewing program completers Navaro Bernard from Atlantic City, Theresa Jerkins from Egg Harbor City, Jonathan Rotgers from Pleasantville, Ja’Hir Santiago from Egg Harbor Township, Emmett Shellhorn from Galloway, Markirrah Stackhouse from Tuckerton, and CheQuan Carpenter-Hargrose from Vineland to fill open and anticipated positions within their companies.
Funded through a generous $424,000 Youth Transition To Work (YTTW) grant from the NJ Department of Labor Workforce Development Office of Apprenticeship in 2021, the overarching goal of the 18-month program has been to provide classroom instruction, hands-on training, and job placement assistance in registered apprenticeships and other skilled trade occupations that provide life-sustaining wages and career advancement for program participants.
Shifting from a traditional college prep-focused curriculum to one that is also inclusive of the trades, district leaders are committed to helping to build the skilled trades workforce of the future that is crucial to the US economy. “The trades jobs do not go away. No matter how the market changes, we will always need skilled workers, who can provide the support needed to maintain cars, homes, commercial facilities, and industrial operations” said Dr. Carmelita Graham, director of Vocational Education and Career & Technical Ed for Egg Harbor Township Schools. “The demand for skilled workers — from electricians and welders to CNC operators and carpenters — is only going to increase as the current workforce begins to age out,” she added.
More than $1.3 million in pre-apprenticeship training grant funding has been received by the district since 2021 to build partnerships and expand skill-based career pathways and placements for students.
In August, the district hosted a free open-to-the public hiring event that attracted approximately 125 eager applicants and 19 trades industry businesses and union representatives seeking new employees. The district is also in the process of renovating space at Egg Harbor Township High School to create an expansive Career & Technical Education Innovation Classroom that will feature learning station training in electrical, welding, carpentry, HVAC, and Advanced Manufacturing. Each station will have state-of-the-art equipment to provide program students with the hands-on job-readiness training needed to land in-demand careers in the skilled trades industries upon graduation.
To partner with Egg Harbor Township School District on this initiative, please call Dr. Graham at (609) 653-0100 x1081 or via email to grahamc@eht.k12.nj.us.
