“Draft Day” at Brown Deer High School
Most of us are familiar with the “Letter of Commitment” signing ritual that graduating athletes participate in when they pledge to play for a college or university sports team, but students at Brown Deer High School recently held a very different kind of draft day. Instead of signing on with a team, a select group of students underwent a draft held by local companies for paid apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships.
The event is a milestone moment for students who are entering the workforce with a job offer, life-changing training to be successful on the job and a future that is bright. The seven students participated in hands-on technical training through the Brown Deer High School Industry Advisory program — an additional level of training and education with the specific goal of preparing students to be apprentices. In partnership with the Building2Learn Consortium and the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters, the Industry Advisory provides hands-on technical skills training to motivated high school seniors. The training takes place early each morning — before the start of school — in the high school’s Productivity Center. Also known as the Brown Deer Skilled Trades & Manufacturing Academy, the Center follows an industry-driven, educator-led model of technical training and workforce development. The Productivity Center houses all of the district’s construction, pre-engineering and Project Lead the Way (PLTW) courses.
Representatives from CG Schmidt, as well as other participating firms, were on hand to join in the signing of the letters. The letters outlined the job responsibilities for the students, along with compensatory benefits provided. The letters also included a promise on the part of the student to meet basic entry requirements, like graduating High School and having a driver’s license. In addition to the letter-signing, students received honorary high-vis graduation cords for completing the Construction Regional Career Pathway, a hand tool kit from Milwaukee Tool and hard hats and other protective equipment from their new employers.
