Career options in skilled trades are expanding for students in Knox County, according to an April 24 announcement. Local initiatives and partnerships with area companies are providing students with pathways to stable employment and professional growth.
These programs aim to address workforce needs while offering young people alternatives to traditional college routes. Students can gain hands-on experience, certifications, and job offers through internships and training programs.
Tanner Ratliff, a 2023 graduate who studied building trades at the Knox County Career Center, secured a summer internship with Kokosing Construction during his junior year. He earned his forklift certification while working at the Fredericktown carpenter shop and yard. Andy Fox, Kokosing Workforce Coordinator, said interns learn about materials, tools, safety protocols, and more: “If [interns] like us and we like them,” Fox said, “we will continue to offer employment part-time during the school year and then full-time afterward.”
Ratliff is now in a four-year apprenticeship learning how to operate equipment on job sites while taking classes. “I enjoy it,” Ratliff said. “It’s pretty good money and pretty cool getting to run big equipment for Kokosing.” Fox noted that most trade workers at Kokosing start at $25 per hour and can become journeymen within four years—earning $45 per hour plus benefits—with opportunities for advancement up to superintendent or project manager roles.
Other local employers such as Ariel Corporation also offer internships. The Workforce Development Alliance led by Julia Suggs of the Knox County Area Development Foundation provides healthcare expos, job fairs, and manufacturing readiness programs like Knox ASPECT. Seniors completing ASPECT receive guaranteed interviews with participating manufacturers; many secure jobs soon after graduation. Suggs highlighted one student who became a second shift supervisor within nine months of being hired: “The opportunities in manufacturing are crazy.“
Sean McCutcheon of the Knox County Educational Service Center works individually with high school students across four schools to help them identify career paths that fit their interests—including those in skilled trades. "Students should consider jobs in the trades because it is an absolutely booming market right now," McCutcheon said.
Suggs emphasized that pursuing work in skilled trades can provide valuable skills without college debt; some companies even offer tuition reimbursement for employees wishing to pursue higher education later on: "We see that story happen over and over." Ratliff plans to stay with Kokosing long-term: "You can do just about anything and everything here," he said.
