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Fifty five KRZ the talk station. It's seven o six a fifty five krc DE talk station. A very happy Monday to you. I'm excited to talk with Nick Smiley. He's the executive director of the Tools Program. Because Nick, welcome to fifty fifty five KRS Morning Show. There are job opportunities, are actually career opportunities out there in the trades. Aren't there tons of them?
Brian, how are you doing?
I'm doing great. Great to have you on the program to talk about the Tools Program and the uh the March Madness kind of fundrais of the kickoff for people to enjoy and learn about Tools Program and also have a great time. Before we get to the details on that, let my listeners know about the Tools Program and what you're all about.
Absolutely so. The Tools Program was founded approximately five and a half six years ago. I think we're in our six school year now. The main focus of the program is skill trade career exposure for K through twelve. We do have an eighth grade math and science project where we come in take over the eighth grade math class for a day, give the teacher a break, teach about maths and science skills. And then our main focus is really helping students transition from high school into the skilled
trades industry. We'll want to make sure we open every door, make the opportunities available to them, and then provide resources such as scholarships for transition money and tool packages as well. Well.
I think it's fantastic concept. And you know, as I've noted, and you can correct me if I'm wrong, if I've got a misconception on this. These are jobs that artificial intelligence can't take away.
Oh, you show me a computer that's going to finish your drywall after it frames up your wall, and I think we're heading a bad direction that we can see that happening. Absolutely, none of these jobs are going to be out source. You know, we were during the Big CAF back in the day. We were essential workers so to speak. So definitely something that if you're looking for a long term career, build a family, support that family, this is the place for you.
Yeah, And the word career is important. It's not just a job. I mean you can actually feed a family and live a comfortable life. On the salaries of these job pays. These are not you know, minimum wage type jobs.
Definitely. Currently we actually ranked ninth in the country out of all safety states. Are current average salaries for skilled trades men and women in Ohio is sixty two and a half thousand.
Wow.
The funny thing is I go to a lot of schools. I speak at a lot of high schools, and whenever I get to that part of the presentation, you can see that the teachers kind of perk up and look and say a little that's a little more than we made. So that might be a good path for your kids well, and always good to have their buy in.
That's funny observation. But to the point, this isn't limited to just people graduating from high school. I mean other people, like, for example, if you're thirty or forty years old and you're interested in changing your life, you can pursue a job in the trades. It's not too late, correct, Oh.
Not too late at all. I'm always a good time to make a change. A lot of skills that come from other industries are transferable, so we've got a lot of people that get into our industry and never realizing that building something with your hands. At the end of the day, being back, you know, being able to look at that and say that's what I did today. It's very gratifying feeling. So we have a lot of people that transition from other industries into our industry all the time.
That's great, and you know it is really really rewarding. I you know, jack of all trades, master and none I. But when you don't have an extra money to hire someone in the trades, like when you're in one hundred and twenty five year old house and you start out with your new wife, like me in Chicago. I used to go to the library and get books out and learn how to do things around the house, just teach myself.
And you know, when you've completed a project and every time you walk into a room like I did that, it really is. It is a rewarding thing. And I've talked to folks who you know, worked high iron and did some steel projects, and every time they drove by a building, it just overwhelming sense of pride that you know what, if it wasn't for me, that wouldn't be there.
That's the truth. For me. There's a lot of buildings. One of my favorite that I like to tell the students about is the Robling building, utiful blue and white twisted building right there across the bridge, well ground up. Yeah, definitely a sense of pride for the people that work on it. When you do have kids. Fair warning to anybody, they're gonna get sick of hearing that, they're gonna get sick of driving by everything on seventy five and dead goes.
I built that, I built that, I built that, you know, So definitely works for us on the pride side. Keeps your kids in line, lets them know that you actually do know what you're talking about.
Yeah, no question about it. Well, you know. And it's it's all all trades. I mean, they're just like any it's plumbing, it's electric, it's HVAC. I mean there's a whole there's a whole, huge number of areas.
Yeah. Ohio Valley Construction Education Foundation, which is ABC's education wing, actually added multiple over the past five six years. We've got everything. Some craft labor is now a class you can take all. Like you said, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, you name it, it's pretty much covered. I think one thing that's very popular right now is we've seen a big
uptick in electricians. So with all the high schools I go to, the Tools Program now has forty participating schools from Van Wert down in northern Kentucky, and in every one of those high schools, never fails three or four of the kids booming to get into that electric industry. So right now it seems like electrician is the most popular. Maybe two years ago it was plumbers.
That's amazing. And I had one of my plumb type plumbing folks over the house and he was a journeyman and he had an apprentice with him. And apprentice a young man. I said, hey, just starting out. He was, yeah, And the journeyman's smid. He goes, this is an absolutely fantastic job. He said, I'm doing really well. I got a family and we're all comfortable, and you know, I love the job. I love getting up to work and talking to people and solving their problems. And the apprentice
was really excited about his future career. So it's true there are multiple opportunities out there in these trades. I understand you're doing. The Tools Program is doing a sort of a fundraiser kickoff thing.
Yeah. Our second largest fundraiser of the year. It's going to be at Top Golf. It's this Thursday, March twentieth. Still have some tickets available if some people want to get involved. Not only is it a wonderful event in terms of all you can eat, all you can drink, lots of prizes, We've got the Top Contender competition going on. It is Top Golf, so while the weather might not be perfect every day, they still have heat and it is covered so rain or shine, we're always there. But
it's a great event. All proceeds going to our Scholarships Foundation, making sure that we can keep providing those transitional funds for these students as they leave high school and head into the skilled trades industry.
So who are you hoping will attend this? Are you looking for organizations that are in the trades, just like run of the mill folks like me who have really no connection with the trades. Who's invited?
Well, don't see this with a good time, Brian, because we will definitely put you on the list. If you're going to you're gonna be there for us. We will definitely get you on the list. But it's truly open to anyone. The idea behind it is mainly if you are a company that's interested in something like the Tools program getting apart, you know, becoming a part of this wonderful program that we have, it'd be great for you.
If you're an educator looking to bring some skill trade career exposure to your school, get connected with some companies who are willing to provide some of those resources as well. It's good for you and just anybody that's looking to have a great time. It's always a great time at the event. Top Golf does an amazing job at getting us all set up, so it's pretty pretty easy deal for me as the organizer. But everybody seems to have
a great time. And like I said before, we've got lots surprises to give away, so we just want everybody to come out and have a great time, leave with something nice and all for a great cause.
Well, and let me repeat something that I thought you heard open bar and barbecue, so you wow.
Well, I mean when you're in the skilled trades industry, I gotta be honest. I was thinking of fahiita bar and I asked a couple of guys and then like, hey, we're construction guys. We don't want fijiitas. We want barbecue. So we went back to the barbecue. Menun it's been popular for the past three years, and can't deviate from what works, can we?
No, you can't, and a lot of these You help these young people find employment opportunities, correct, I mean you hook the people who are pursuing the trades as a new career with employers who are searching for them.
Yeah. So the program as a whole, if we're thinking of the perfect prime example, Okay, we talk to a student in high school, we kind of get connected with them somewhere between their freshmen and junior year. Those are the meet and greets that I go out and have with all the schools that participate in the program once or twice a year. Once we spark that interest, we're looking to get that junior to have a summer job
between their junior and senior year. Make sure that they like whatever trade they're thinking about, you know, try to get it the electrician. Want to get him out on that job shadow see see if that's what he likes. If he likes that and he works through the summer, the perfect plan is that student then comes back to high school their senior year. That company has now hired them, so they are either co opting or they're just already employed waiting to graduate. That year we have them apply
for our scholarship. Nine times out of ten student wins a scholarship, they're already placed they graduate. So now we've given them direct placement. We've given them a scholarship of five to twenty five hundred dollars for transition money that can be used for whatever they need, whether it's a down payment for a car, clothing, tools, anything like that.
And then the pure focus of the program is once they get out of high school, we've got them direct place, We've got them a toolkit, we've got them a scholarship. I like to tell any student, once we get you into the industry, if you figure out that it's not for you, that's just what it is. It's just not for you. Because we've opened every door, we've made it as simple as possible, and we just want to make sure that we're sparking that interest. So every time I'm
on your show, I can't can't. I was going to say this at the end, but I want to kind of plug you out. I got to thank you and Joe. You guys have an amazing platform you guys have us on the support that you've given us and allowed us to be on your platform, promote our program, promote the great things we're doing. It's amazing. I'm Brian. We couldn't do it without you guys, And I just want you to know that every time I'm on your show never fails. A grandpa, a mom, a dad, somebody reaches out to
me because they heard me talking. And every single time that's happened, we've got their grandson or son or daughter place.
That's awesome. That's exactly why I love having you on the show because think about what you just said. You got some a kid just out of high school already making money, employed in something that he already hears, she already has familiarity with. Because of this introductory component, they're making money as opposed to heading over and sitting in music appreciation class and a four year college degree. That's digging them a giant hole in the ground in dat
I mean, fast forward four years. They probably got a big bank account, savings account, maybe they're already participating in the retirement funding. They're working every single day, and somebody else is coming out with a sheepskin from a university with a music appreciation degree or like my degree, political science degree and kind of puzzling at what am I gonna do? Gonna be a barista at Starbucks. I just love the program. I love the concept. I can't thank
you enough for what you're doing. And I'll recommend my listeners go to toolsprogram dot org where they can get all the details about this event and get registered for it. It's gonna be a great time, and it lasts a long time. It starts at noon, it goes all the way to five point thirty.
Yeah, it's the first day of the March Madness Tournament. It's kind of eploy there, right. You can come and get all your golfing and all your drinking and eating in and then get that phone out and start making those parlays.
Nick Smiley Tools Program, I hope you have a wildly successful event. And for folks out there, parents, grandparents, whoever has connection with the young people. Hell, the young people might be listening, get in touch with the Tools program dot org and you'll hit the ground running. Nick, keep up the great work man. You know you always got an opportunity to be here on the fifty five KRC Morning Show.
Thanks, Brian. I appreciate it man more than you know.
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