Page 10 - TTWISummer2024

CTE / Construction
Page 10 Electronic Edition: www .teachingtodaywi .com

McFarland School Offers Pathway to a Career in Construction With

Help of Trades Union

or, you know, the GPS itself, makes us a
very well-trained group of individuals,” high
school course liaison Kip Gutke said.
After going to college, Gutke began
teaching but he couldn’t find the right position,
eventually turning to construction.
“I got an apprenticeship program and
graduated from that and worked my way as an
operator in the field,” he said. “An opportunity
had worked out here at the training center as
an opening and I applied for it wanting to carry
on that tradition of teaching and also working
with the operating engineers.”
With experience in the field and an ability
to connect with the youth, Gutke is hoping to
inspire them to give the trades a try.
“I hope that all of our students find that
role that really makes them wanna get up
As the shortage of workers in the con- ensure that students know what they want to every morning and enjoy it because that’s the an operating engineers can go to 139train-
struction industry persists, a McFarland based do or don’t want to do as they get prepared for ultimate goal is that work doesn’t feel like ing.org for more information on the program.
school is offering a hands-on pathway to the their futures.” work,” Wagner said. Students can also call Wisconsin Operating
career in the trades. For the last seven years, the academy A few students were involved in the Engineers Training Center to register for an
Jen Wagner is a principal at Destinations has partnered with the International union of program when it began seven years ago. information session.
Career Academy of Wisconsin. The virtual Operating Engineers Local 139 to offer stu- Wagner says within the last three years, the By Shaina Nijhawan for WMTV 15
school is based out of McFarland but offers an dents a pathway to a job in the trades. Those academy has tripled the number of youth
education to any student in the state. interested are connected with the union to get involved with more than 230 students cur-
“Serving both full and part time students, hands-on experience in the field. rently enrolled full or part-time. mcfarland.k12.wi.us
ranging from Superior to Racine and Green “Whether it’s moving dirt, the commu- Those interested in an apprenticeship as
Bay to Platteville,” Wagner said. “Working to nication with hand signals or grade stakes

Point your career in the right direction coming in the Next issue of

JOIN THE OPERATING ENGINEERS

enjoy working with your TEACHING
hands AND exercising ™
your mind? TODAY WI
• Minimum apprentice
starting hourly wage:
$22.83
• Employer-paid Manufacturing
health insurance
• Defi ned-benefi t Agriculture
pension plan
• Access to 400-acre, state-
of-the-art training center Engineering

Operating engineers
Local 139, Energy
Terrance e. McGowan
President/
Business Manager An opportunity to highlight how your students
engage with these programs in your schools

Please contact:
Local 139 Instructor Woody Wickersheim Andria — andria@teachingtodaywi.com 715-360-4875, or
shows Monona Grove High School students Renee — renee@teachingtodaywi.com 715-839-7074
how to operate an earth-moving simulator.