THS Sophomores get hands on look at high tech skilled trades

Braydon Turner went through the Big Ideas Mobile Learning Lab, getting a hands on look at high paying, skilled trades.

“I painted, welded and flew the drone, my favorite was the welding, I scored a 94 on it,” Turner said.

The Minnesota Based non profit travels the nation, taking its industry level simulators to high schools.   Students can sample more than thirty high demand skilled trades, getting instant feedback.  Jared Beranek says the goal is to inform, inspire and connect.

“We inform them by using industrial grade simulators, for hands on experience,  three in the trailer, one inside the building, we inspire them by telling them what they can do with these careers.  We bring in industry instructors who are retired or active, we partner with Toyota,  that is where the connect part comes in,  we bring in people who have experience in skilled trades,” Beranek said.

THS Career Coach Erica Golden says the Big Ideas Mobile Learning Lab is a great way for students to see the possibilities of high tech careers, that are available throughout Northeast Mississippi.

“We have businesses recruiting students to come in and do plumbing, HVAC, electrical, they have companies they want to turn over to someone, it is dying out but we are trying to bring it back,” Golden said.

The mobile career lab is brought to area schools through the Toyota Wellspring Education Fund and The CREATE Foundation.   Sophomore Mackenzie Watkins says the mobile learning lab is a unique opportunity.

“It gives us experience to try things and see what we want to do,” Watkins said.

The Big Ideas Lab is touring more than forty high schools across the region, this fall, giving sophomores a preview of possible, post graduation career pathways.

Volunteers from Toyota and ICC helped out with the Big Ideas Mobile Learning Lab.

BigideasUSA.org