St. Pete-Clearwater Sun

Hillsborough County Public Schools held an “Apprenticeship Night” at Riverview High School, giving students the opportunity to network with managers and representatives from skilled trades across the Tampa Bay area.

The event aimed to highlight careers in fields like ironworking that offer free training, immediate pay, and strong long-term job security — with organizers emphasizing that skilled labor jobs are largely resistant to automation by artificial intelligence.

Keven Barber, business manager at Ironworkers Local 397 in Hillsborough County, said the four-year apprenticeship program costs students nothing. Participants spend most of their time working on job sites and earning a paycheck, with classroom instruction required only two weeks every six months.

Billy Wilkerson, the district’s apprenticeship coordinator, said the goal is to make sure students know that college isn’t the only route to a stable career. “Your child can go to work, start making money from day one, and start building their career,” he said.

Students who attended said hands-on work appeals to them because of the quick path to employment and earning potential. Organizers said they hope to expand the event to multiple locations across the county next year.

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