Mike Rowe, the renowned host of Discovery Channel's "Dirty Jobs" show, brings forth a crucial message that serves as a wake-up call. On his Mike Rowe Works Foundation website, he highlights the fallacy of America's fixation on expensive four-year degrees and the glorification of corner office jobs while undervaluing the very jobs that laid the foundation for those offices. Pasco-Hernando State College has taken significant steps to address this narrow thinking by launching free vocational apprenticeship programs in construction and apartment maintenance. These programs aim to meet the growing demand for skilled workers in these industries.

Why Vocational Apprenticeships Matter

In Pasco and Hernando counties, there are currently 3,000 open positions in construction and 2,000 in apartment maintenance/management. Many of these jobs offer lucrative salaries, with some paying $50,000 or more per year. The college's grand opening of the construction program facility on its Gowers Corner campus was a momentous occasion, with several dignitaries in attendance. The facility features shipping container pods for tools, equipment, and materials, along with classrooms and a large pavilion built atop an abandoned tennis court.Alysen Heil, who heads the program and is the dean of Workforce Development at PHSC, explains that the apprenticeship program started small a couple of years ago. With proper funding, the facility can be expanded to accommodate more students in the future. Sean Kessler, a local building consultant and architect, has been instrumental in the program's success. He is a prime example of someone who changed his career path after five years in college studying marine biology.Kessler emphasizes the importance of hands-on training in construction. At the grand opening event, a shed built by the students was on display. Although small, it utilized the same materials and techniques as larger structures, providing the students with practical experience that will be applied to building full-scale houses in the future.The "experience" portion of the PHSC course is as crucial as the skills and knowledge equation. As Kessler points out, it is where these elements are put into practice. That's why the program is structured as an apprenticeship, with local companies providing paid jobs to students, paying them at least $15 per hour and sometimes more.Currently, the program can accommodate 15-18 students. Due to safety concerns during building instruction sessions, a ratio of one instructor for every six students is maintained. The college is currently seeking another instructor to meet the growing demand. Two apprenticeship programs are held each year, with the spring session opening for enrollment in February and the second session beginning in October.The course consists of 205 hours at the school's campus and 2,000 hours of paid, on-the-job work with local companies. Student Eugene Figueroa, who has worked in the electrical field for many years, joined the program to expand his knowledge and skills. He believes it is a great opportunity to learn and grow.Plans are in the works to add a Future Builders of America chapter at the Gowers Corner campus soon. This will provide high school students and others interested in hands-on construction experience with an abbreviated but valuable opportunity. It will be one of only two schools in the state to have such a chapter.For more information about the apprenticeship programs, visit https://phsc.edu/academics/job-training/apprenticeships.