On Wednesday, October 19 students at Triumph High School participated in Trades Day. Representatives from LCCC and local businesses set up booths and equipment demonstrations in the gym and parking lot of the school to share the career and educational opportunities offered in the trades. Students were able to try their hand at soldering copper pipe, trying a hammer drill, using advanced software, exploring various equipment from several trades, and sitting in the cab of a big rig. Additionally, students were able to get information and talk to instructors from LCCC programs, local fire rescue, EMT services, and a local construction company about how a student could pursue a career in those fields.

Triumph has always had a focus of creating an alternate setting that meets the needs of disparate groups of students, and, along with LCSD1, is also looking beyond that graduation to what comes next for the students. Principal Troy Lake shared that, in conjunction with District Leadership, “We are looking to create pathways for our students as they move into year 13, 14, and beyond.” Some of these pathways are being created through a partnership with LCCC.

Adam Keizer, Workforce Partnership Facilitator for LCSD1, shared, “We started a partnership with Laramie County Community College, and they’re providing a dual class where students get to go to LCCC where they get to experience for an entire semester all the different type of trades classes that they [LCCC] offer. So they’ll spend two weeks in the advanced manufacturing center, two weeks in diesel, two weeks in electric, welding, and automotive. We thought was pretty special. The trial students would get the opportunity to experience all those different trades in an area that we don’t quite allow them to have here.” Keizer went on to explain that students can see some more sophisticated settings that will utilize the skills they are gaining in their high school classes. He shared an example that a student who really enjoys welding and is successful at it in the high school setting would then get to experience advanced manufacturing and 3D metal printing at the college to see a pathway from his high school learning to further training to a viable career option later on.

Triumph High school does not have the facilities for exploring some of the trades, so it made sense to begin there with the partnership, according to Keizer. Right now, Seniors at Triumph High are attending some of these classes at LCCC and soon Sough High seniors will have this opportunity with Central and East possibly joining in at a later time. TJ Kirkbride, career counselor, and Leigh Ann Ojeda, business and marketing teacher at Triumph set up the Trades Day with Keizer and representatives from LCCC to begin showcasing the program and opportunities.