With college tuition prices continuing to remain high — the average in-state tuition is $9,800 at a four-year public university, according to the National Center for Education Statistics — many high school students around the country have been pursuing other options, including trade apprenticeships.
Some consider it a much better alternative to going to college. Instead of racking up student loan debt, they can get training in a field they already have interest in and, in some cases, depending on the trade, getting a higher salary than some of their peers who pursued a traditional four-year degree.
On Thursday, May 29, Napavine High School junior Case Van Kooten became one of those students to pursue an apprenticeship as he signed a youth apprenticeship agreement to begin automation technician training with Walsh Trucking Co.
“He’s gonna learn so much. Trucks are changing so fast with emissions,” Walsh Trucking Manager Claude Nelson said during the apprenticeship signing on Thursday night in Napavine.
While Van Kooten will still complete his senior year at Napavine High School starting in the fall, he will also begin his technical training.
Nelson stated Van Kooten’s high school education will still take priority over his technical training as state law limits how much he can work.
Napavine High School Career and Technical Education (CTE) Director David Rutherford explained he organized the signing event to celebrate Van Kooten’s choice. He added Van Kooten isn’t his only CTE student already making big plans for their future.
“We finished our last class on Tuesday. While they were taking their final, I barbecued some hot dogs and stuff for them,” Rutherford said. “Got to talking to them, and we have a student who’s doing a rent-to-own on a house already, and we have another student, she’s putting money in a 401K and doing a match, all at 18 years old. I didn’t even know what that was at that age. It’s a really cool opportunity that apprentices are having and it's exciting to see.”
Nelson added he’s also seen a recent rise in apprenticeships throughout the industry as trained mechanics age out of the industry and retire, making it more difficult to fill job openings.
“If you can’t find mechanics, just make them,” Nelson said.
Rutherford said this is also a way to help students find good paying work near home instead of moving away from Lewis County for work.
“I’m thankful for the opportunity,” Van Kooten said after signing the apprenticeship agreement.
According to Rutherford, two other Napavine High School seniors graduating this year, Bryson Oliver and Connor Reichert, are about to complete the same automation technician training Van Kooten is beginning.
The average hourly salary for automation technicians is around $31.84, according to indeed.com.
