Area businesses find workers through Ashland, Holmes and Wayne career center schools

Many businesses are struggling to find qualified workers these days, and the construction industry is no different.

The building trades programs at area career centers work to provide competent, capable and certified workers for construction companies seeking carpenters, welders, electricians and heavy equipment operators.

Michael Taylor, Brandon Zemrock and Brady Taylor are recent graduates from the West Holmes Building Trades program who have stepped into careers. Ashland-West Holmes Career Center alums Tyler Watson, Reece Scurlock and Ryland McDonald have also found their dream jobs.

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Construction companies have found many of their employees through the career centers, where they actively recruit.

Dan Moore, president of Simonson Construction in Ashland, is a big proponent of the career centers and the building trades programs. Simonson Construction has three recent graduates from the Ashland program and another from the Wayne County Career Center’s welding program.

“We have engaged with these programs for a number of years, but we’re always looking for those young people who are going to enter the trades with some credentials, with some skills and some training, that will be beneficial to us right out of the chute,” Moore said. “Both John Staats and Dave McMillen have great practical knowledge who have worked in the trades, so what the students are gaining from those guys is an insight to real world experience. Regardless of what they are doing in the classroom or the lab, there is some connection to what we are doing in the field.

From high school to work ready

Moore said college is not always the right fit for every student.

Those who come to the companies with credentials such as equipment certifications and safety training are much closer to being work ready.

“We do not employ anybody who doesn’t have a minimum of 10 hours of OHSHA safety training,” Moore said. “Our managers have 30 hours of training and beyond.”

“There is a large need for skilled trades people,” Moore added. “It is an advantage for us to have a career center in our community, with kids from our local schools. We’re not a large company that covers the state. We’re more regional, working generally within 50 to 70 miles from home. The majority of the time, our employees will be sleeping in their own bed every day.”

Learning the basics and advancing through construction careers

Being able to read a tape measure and add and subtract fractions, an understanding of geometry are skills needed for carpenters, welders and other trades people who have to lay out their work, set strings, frame walls and read drawings.

Scurlock, a 2019 graduate of the Ashland-West Holmes Career Center's construction program, landed his dream job with Simonson Construction right out of high school, and noted he has gained valuable experience since.

The youngest member of his crew, he fits in because he does the work that is expected of him and is eager to learn new things.

"I really love working here, picking up tips and tricks from the more experienced people around me," he said. "I've made some new friends with guys who are my dad's age. It's kind of nice."

Andy Fox is part of the workforce development division of Kokosing Construction Co., one of the largest general contractors in the Midwest, headquartered in Westerville.

“We go in and talk to the construction trade classes, welding classes, auto mechanics, and tell them about the work opportunities we have at Kokosing Construction,” Fox said. “We hire interns, summer help, and we try to use individuals from the career centers. They tend to have more training than the typical high school student."

Throughout two years of training in high school, Fox said, the students learns skills needed on the job, from how to operate construction equipment to carpentry, concrete finishing and pipe laying.

“We have many opportunities for advancement,” he said. “... You can work your way up to construction superintendent or area manager.”

Michael Taylor, a 2018 graduate of West Holmes Building Trades program, has worked out in the field for Kokosing for a couple of years from West Virginia to Toledo. His brother Brady Taylor, a 2021 graduate, also works there.

Taylor credits McMillen for making the Building Trades program fun and interesting and helping prepare him for life in the real world. He earned his 10-hour OSHA safety certification and is certified to work on platforms.

“McMillen made learning fun for us," he said. "He taught us, supervised us, and then turned us loose and helped us when we needed it. I had a lot of fun. I loved the last two years of high school. And I truly enjoying working construction."

Taylor is the youngest member of his crew but has found that as long as he pulls his weight and does the job, he is treated just like everybody else.

Jump starting his own business through West Holmes Building Trades

Brandon Zemrock graduated from West Holmes in 2017. He went to work for Currey Lumber in Wooster and enrolled at OSU-ATI to study construction management. After graduating in 2019, he went to work for a Holmes County construction company before branching out to form his own company. He does work in Holmes and Wayne counties, trying to stay within an hour of home.

Zemrock said the Building Trades program gave him a good learning base to go into a job a little further along than someone without any experience. McMillen pointed him toward ATI, and he has been a big influence.

“Before I started my business, I went to him to see what his thoughts were. Mr. McMillen gave me some ideas and insight,” he said. “The building trades have always been my passion. New construction is a huge interest of mine. I’ve always been interested to learn more and better ways to do things.”

Watson has been working as an electrician for Owens Electric since he graduated from the Ashland-West Holmes Career Center in 2019. He knew he wanted to work in construction, but it wasn't until they were wiring the house they built through the Building Trades program that he found his niche.

"This was what I caught onto the best," he said.

Advice for career center students

The alumni offer advice to students in the trades programs.

“Listen to what McMillen says. He’s a smart man who will help you with any career you want to pursue in the construction world,” Taylor said. “He will back you and give you advice any time you ask.”

Zemrock suggests learning as much as you can, staying positive, be open to learning new things and be on time.

"Be willing to learn, listen, and be punctual," added Watson.

Do your best and don't settle for less, added Spurlock.

Reach Kevin at 330-231-8959 or klynch@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Career center students provide skilled labor for construction trades