PowerForward DuPage hosted its annual Trade Apprenticeship Expo last Thursday.
“It’s our opportunity to really open up the doors for people to kind of come in and ask their questions and learn really what it means to consider a career with the building trades,” said Karyn Chavat, executive director of PowerForward DuPage.
Expo brings hundreds to learn from tradespeople
About 600 high school and college students, parents, teachers and administrators filled IBEW Local 701 to learn about apprenticeship opportunities at 10 different trade booths.
“Folks that are coming through the door are going to be able to visit with the Electrical Training Apprenticeship Center here at the IBEW, but also tile setters, pipe fitters, cement masons, painters, just a variety of the different construction trade affiliates,” Chavat said.
Bringing awareness to tradeswork
Since its start in 2018, the Trade Apprenticeship Expo has expanded its opportunities.
“When we first started, we opened the doors to maybe about 100 to 150 people,” Chavat said. “I really think that the message is getting out throughout the county that people do want to learn more about the construction building trades and what it takes to be part of these apprenticeship programs. So we’re just we’re thrilled to be one small part of that.”
Chavat believes it’s the value of hands-on work that continues to bring more interest to those fields.
“When we talk to students and parents and teachers, what we tell them is construction workers have a tremendous amount of pride in the things that they build,” Chavat said. “It is true craftsmanship, and I think that students today are realizing that they may really actually like to work with their hands.”
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