I live in a little town in Northern Wisconsin with a population of just under 8,000. We have a few elementary schools, a middle school, a high school and a small community college. The school district and the community college work very well together. The college allows high school students to take courses while still in high school and earn dual credit at both.
It’s a great program our area has built up. Over the years, I’ve noticed a quiet shift happening. It’s an encouraging shift that I’ve seen and I’m encouraged by it. It’s a move to highlight trades.
I’ve read that more high schools across the country are beginning to reconnect with the skilled trades. Shop classes, once phased out in favor of four-year college tracks, are making a comeback in new and more intentional ways. I’ve also seen that firsthand at our school district here. In the last year, both the middle school and high school have undergone huge renovation projects, adding new tech ed facilities including welding, homebuilding trades, auto and more.
For a long time, the conversation around workforce shortages in plumbing has felt like a broken record. Contractors need help. Experienced plumbers are aging out. Fewer young people are entering the trades. I’ve heard it from many of you that I’ve talked to as editor of Plumber.
As the 2025-26 school year closed here in Wisconsin, our high school held a “senior signing day” where graduating seniors got to sign certificates acknowledging what they were doing after high school. Many are going to four-year colleges, but more and more are entering the workforce or going to smaller community or technical schools instead.
At the senior signing day I attended, there was a large handful of students that announced that they have started, or will be starting, apprenticeships in the trades. At least three of these were in the plumbing industry.
Hiring an apprentice isn’t just about filling a short-term labor gap. It’s a way your company can make a long-term investment. Not just for your company, but in your community and in the future of the trade itself.
When you bring in an apprentice, especially a young person just out of high school, you’re shaping how they approach work, interact with customers and how they carry themselves as professionals, not to mention imparting core plumbing skills. You’re passing down the kind of knowledge that only comes from years on the job.
These young workers also bring energy to the company. They’ll be asking questions and will be eager to prove themselves. If they’re in the right environment that values learning and growth, you’ll see that they tend to stick around and that loyalty is hard to find.
The growing connection between high schools and local plumbing companies is a win on both sides. Students get exposure to a career path that offers stability, good pay and a sense of purpose. Contractors get a pipeline of motivated individuals who are already interested in the work before they ever step onto a job site full time.
If you haven’t explored a partnership with your local school district, reach out to the local school district now and see what opportunities are available.
YOUR TURN
Have you already started working with a local school district? Let me know about your experiences by emailing editor@plumbermag.com.
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