CBS Evening News featured Middleton High School in a segment on the growing popularity of trade programs in high schools nationwide.
CBS correspondent Ian Lee interviewed Engineering & Technology teacher Justin Zander and students Thalia Madden, Taran Seerha, Aidan Dowd and Hunter Hull. They shared their experiences in Building Construction and Woods classes and their love of hands-on work and building with machines.
Noting that “shop class is back and booming,” Mr. Lee emphasized how “the revival is fueled by the demand for tradespeople.”
CBS Evening News highlighted the role Mr. Zander has played in the revival at Middleton High School, following building renovations completed in 2022 that helped put trades classes front and center in the school.
“My goal is to teach them comfort and skills, so they can become comfortable with a few skills and those skills will be transferable from many different trades,” Mr. Zander said. “It used to be that kids were interested in it as a sideline; now the kids are interested in it because it could lead to a good-paying job for the future.”
Middleton High School’s focus on trades is part of a larger trend of schools nationwide increasing their investment in technical education programming. Middleton High School’s trades classes and Career & Technical Education (CTE) program offer students opportunities to advance their post-secondary careers in fields including woodworking, metalworking, and machining.
The offerings help students jumpstart their careers and allow them to explore possible career paths during high school.
“I think it’s important from the get-go to show kids that college isn’t the only option,” Middleton High School senior Thalia Madden said.
“For Justin, his return on investment is introducing kids to a profitable way of life that he loves,” Mr. Lee said.
“I absolutely love teaching,” Mr. Zander said.
Watch the full CBS Evening News “Eye on America” segment, and visit the Youth Apprenticeship website for more information on Middleton High School's CTE program.