PowerForward DuPage organized a mobile “tour of the trades” for over 40 counselors and teachers from Indian Prairie School District 204 on March 1st, 2019. After a continental breakfast and a welcome by Joe Riley, President of the DuPage County Building Trades, the group took a tour of the IBEW Local 701 building and the DuPage County JATC before loading onto a school bus and heading out for the day.
Stops included the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters, the Laborers’ District Council Training Center, SMART Local 265 JATC, Painters District Council No. 30, with the day wrapping up back at the IBEW Local 701 building. Apprenticeship directors and coordinators gave overviews of their programs and tours of their training facilities, which were well-received by the attendees with many commenting on how the day gave them new insight into the construction trades.
The objective of the event was to provide area educators with information on various apprenticeship programs so that they may better identify students who could potentially have a successful career in the building trades. Many thanks to all who assisted and participated in the creation and execution of our 2019 Tour the Trades Day!