District outlines construction career pathway, employer internships and field trips

Administration and instructional staff outlined a plan to pilot an internal construction career pathway in the coming school year. The pathway will build on existing production technology and carpentry classes, add team‑based challenges required for state endorsements, and emphasize hands‑on fundamentals before introducing advanced tools.

Mr. Frisch, introduced by district leadership as the pathway instructor, said the program will include field trips to local employers—a cabinet shop and an on‑site masonry project—to provide students firsthand exposure to trades and potential employment pipelines. He described earlier experiences where students bid and built an 8x8 garden shed for a neighbor as a real‑world component of the curriculum.

District staff said they have contacted employers (including Walters and Leuer brothers) who expressed enthusiasm about internships and hiring students trained in the pathway. The district will pilot the program internally to meet state endorsement requirements (students must complete year‑3 and year‑4 coursework for endorsement) with the first potential graduating student to receive an endorsement in 2027 if enrollment aligns.

Board members asked about equipment and whether CNC instruction would be included; Mr. Frisch said fundamentals and hand joinery are core to the curriculum and partner employers provide advanced machining exposure. Administration said they will pursue internships and external partnerships to expand opportunities, with logistics and scheduling to be worked out with neighboring districts and CTE directors.