BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — Broken Arrow High School's construction course is giving students hands-on trade skills — and a direct path to well-paying careers right out of high school.
The program teaches basic construction skills ranging from simple measuring and framing techniques to plumbing, electrical, and welding. Enrollment has grown steadily since the program launched three years ago.
"I think the first year a little under 100, last year was a little over a hundred and this year's about 130," instructor Jeremy Bryan said.
Posters lining the classroom walls show what apprentices can earn in various construction trades — $65,000 a year for plumbing, $50,000 for welding, and more.
"HVAC can start out at like $50,000, electrical can start out at like $65,000 a year," said Bryan.
Straight out of high school.
"Some of those are as much as I'm making as a third year teacher," Bryan said.
Senior Paisley Ward is in her second year in the program, where girls are outnumbered by boys by about 10 to 1. That doesn't faze her.
"I do have a lot of goals, a lot of dreams," Ward said.
Ward said she wants welding to be her first career, with a longer-term goal of owning her own construction company.
"I want to learn more about the trades and I want to be able to do this kinda stuff on my own," Ward said.
Broken Arrow Superintendent Chuck Perry said the district is committed to giving students a meaningful career pathway.
"We want to be an innovative and progressive district to provide students a career pathway that they really are able to join the workforce and have the skills to, to be successful," Perry said.
New this fall, students can also participate in the Broken Arrow and OSUIT Construction Academy to earn college credits in OSUIT's Construction Technology Management program. The credits include challenge exams.
"Recognizing the skills they're already doing and taking that into college credit," OSUIT's vice provost of academic affairs Heather Ortiz said.
She adds, its also a much more cost effective way for students to participate in the college level program while still enrolled in high school.
The college credit pathway is designed to help prepare students who want careers in construction management.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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