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Business leaders meet with St. Charles students for National Skilled Trades Day

On May 12, high school students had the opportunity to join local employers for a virtual National Skilled Trades Day panel discussion aimed at highlighting skilled trades careers.

Among the panelists were Jerry Meister, Optimal Construction founder; Scott Milas, project director at Mendel; Troy Piper, senior project manager at Slaten Construction; Paula A. Price, AIA, LEED A.P., CDCP, Batir Architecture Ltd; Humberto Raya, operations manager at Rieke Office Interiors; Thomas J. Rothengass, president at T.A.K. Drywall Specialists, Inc.; and Muhummad Starks, managing director, Construction Risk Management at Schramm Construction.

After brief introductions, each panelist shared information about their specific industry, their work experiences, and the skills and traits needed to be successful in these careers.

Panelists agreed that there are many opportunities for individuals to learn and grow if they work hard and have the desire to learn the trade.

One of the great aspects of working in trades is that no two workdays look the same since different projects need to be completed, interactions with clients vary, and new challenges allow them to learn about the inner-workings of the industry.

The panelists encouraged students to reach out to them if they had any additional questions. They invited students to take tours of their businesses and facilities in hopes to inspire them to find what they're passionate about and discover a career they want to pursue.

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